Deceitful Truth
by xPaige Turnerx
Summary: 'They said they could help us. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them...' AU. R&R.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. This is also closely based on the book **_**Dark Visions**_** by **_**Lisa J. Smith**_**, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well. And anything else you see that's familiar. I have to save all that creative originality for my own stuff.**

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner.**

**Summary: 'They said they could help us. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them...' AU. R&R.**

Marcus and Caius stood outside the front gates surrounding the large white buildings; both clad in dark suits. Caius turned to Marcus, "Are we ready yet? It's nearly noon and we still have the other six to collect." He was upset that Aro would send them to do this petty work instead of Heidi or Chelsea. But no, Aro insisted that he have his best, his partners there to make a trustworthy impression on the kids.

Marcus met his old friend's angered gaze with his own bored one. "I just got off the phone with him; Laurent is in the hospital and Isabella is just finishing up her meeting in the board room. They've had enough and put her on death row."

Caius nodded and opened the gate, Marcus following him to the front doors of the main building. "Good. Call Victoria and make sure Laurent's check is deposited into his account for when he gets out of the hospital, and double check to make sure James got his; he was quite upset about the broken nose and ankle."

Marcus pulled out his sleek silver phone, stepping to the side as the two made their way to the front desk. Caius continued over, regarding the secretary with cold indifference. "Can I help you gentlemen?" The woman asked, looking over the top of her glasses at Marcus and then Caius.

Caius placed a card on the counter, sliding it over to the woman. "We've got an appointment with the warden here."

The woman took the card and typed a few things into her computer, nodding to herself. "Alright, down the hall to your left and make a right. His office is the last one."

Caius turned to leave without so much as a 'good day' with Marcus following as he hung up. They quickly made their way down the hall, following the woman's instructions and were soon facing a large oak door.

Marcus rapped on it a few times before letting himself and Caius in, not bothering to wait for an answer. They weren't ones for asking or waiting; people waited for and asked _them_.

The warden got to his feet, his brows furrowing as he took in both the men standing in front of his desk. He ran a hand through his brown hair, sticking the other out to them, setting it at his side when they only glanced at it. "You two must be the Volturi appointment." He commented.

Marcus and Caius looked at each other and then nodded, Marcus setting a large black brief case on the warden's desk, opening it up. The warden glanced down at it; his eyes going wide as he fell back into his chair. "We've come to take Isabella Swan, otherwise known as prisoner 214861 in cell D, off your hands."

**XxXxXx**

"I knew it! I _knew_ it! Mom, didn't I tell you? I _told you so!_" Cynthia cried, jumping up and down, throwing his arms around her sister, hugging her tight.

Mrs. Brandon had tears in her eyes, smiling gratefully at the two men in the dark suits standing before her, speaking with her husband. She turned to her daughters, her smile growing. "Isn't this wonderful news, Mary?"

Mary Alice looked at her mother, forcing a smile to her face. Yes, she was happy, ecstatic even, that someone finally believed her and was taking her from this place. But still; she didn't forget that it was her mother and father who put her here in the first place. It was hard to celebrate and hug and cry with her parents when she knew how quick they were to ship her off to here in the first place. And something wasn't right about these men; she just knew.

"It's terrific, mother." She replied.

"And so cool!" Cynthia chimed, still bouncing. Cynthia was nearly an exact replica of her sister. They both had the ink black hair, though Alice's was short and spiked in all directions, and Cynthia's was long and almost curly. They both had electric blue eyes, and were short, with petit features, making them look pixie like. "I mean, I never thought you were crazy," She shot her mother and father a look of anger. "But I never...It was hard to imagine...I just can't believe it's real!"

Mary Alice smiled down at her little sister, a genuine smile. Cynthia had been the only one to protest and try to convince her parents to reconsider sending her to this institute. "I know what you mean, even _I_ could hardly believe it, and it was happening to _me_." She laughed.

Cynthia twirled about the room, repacking the bags that not two months ago she helped pack in the first place to bring here. "So what's the deal? You meet with these guys every day after school or something?"

Caius cleared his throat, shaking his head and his long blond hair. "Not exactly. Miss Brandon will be staying in a home with six other teenagers around her age where she will learn how to control her gift with the good Doctor and his wife who happens to be a psychiatrist. She will be in the greatest care, and will still have regular classes there as well. The only down side to this, is that the Home is in Seattle."

Cynthia frowned. "That's so far away... How often will we get to see her?"

Caius could feel the smile he had plastered to his face slipping and forced it to stay. "As often as you would like. Call the number on the card and we will fly you out personally."

Mary Alice turned to Cynthia, zipping up her last bag of clothing and possessions. "Not to worry, CC. I'll write all the time, I promise."

Cynthia smiled and leapt at her sister again. "Okay. I expect a letter every three days, no later or I will fly right on over there!" She giggled.

"Are you ready, Miss Brandon?" Marcus asked, shaking hands with Mary Alice's father.

Mary Alice squeezed her sister tight one last time, whispering her a 'love you'. She turned to look at her parents, her mother squeezing her hand, but keeping her distance, her father only nodding. She clenched her jaw and nodded. "Yes." She replied, picking up her bags and walking out the door of her room, leaving this asylum for good. She missed Caius's look of slight relief at the fact that there was no watery good bye with her parents.

**XxXxXxXx**

There was a knock on Rosalie's bedroom door. She sighed, setting her magazine down on her comforter and got up from her large bed to answer it. Bernard, the butler, was there with his kind old eyes and Rosalie's glare softened. "Good afternoon, Bernard."

Bernard smiled at Rosalie. "Afternoon, Miss Hale. You have visitors down in the dining room speaking with your parents. They've asked for your presence."

Rosalie raised an eyebrow. "I will be down shortly." She replied, escaping back into her room to slip on a sweater. The mansion was always so cold in the afternoons; something Rosalie didn't like.

Voices were heard from the dining room as Rosalie descended the grand staircase, sliding down the railing for the last couple of steps like usual. Rosalie got quite bored here at the mansion, often because she didn't feel like spending the day with the town gossip, Jessica Stanley, or the Mallory girl, whose father worked with her father; a barbie was more real than Lauren.

It was around this time that Rosalie would usually wander through the mansion, find her mother in the spa with a drink in hand, dismissing her so she could 'relax from her stressful day' which was out shopping, spending Mr. Hale's money. After that she would find her father, busy working in his office, sending her off with a wad of cash to go out and find something to entertain herself. After both failed attempts of spending time with her parents, she would then find Bernard preparing dinner and strike up a conversation with him, perhaps play a game of cards or chess. When Rosalie was younger, she would get Bernard to take her out to the movies or park, but now that she was older, Bernard was getting old as well, and had fallen ill a couple months ago. He couldn't go out anymore or even cook dinner; merely wake Rosalie and her parents up in the morning, and answer doors when the door bell rang.

Two men in dark suits stood up from the table as Rosalie entered the room, both inclining their heads before having at seat as Rosalie sat. "Hello." The man with the long, black hair greeted.

Rosalie nodded at him, glancing at her father who motioned towards them with a look. The look that said these were important people that he wanted to make a good impression on. She internally sighed before replying. "Good afternoon."

The blonde man spoke then. "We were just speaking with your parents about enrolling you into the care of a prestigious Doctor and his wife to help with your gift."

Rosalie blanched. "Excuse me? Gift?"

Marcus's bored gaze turned intrigued. "You _are_ Rosalie Hale, daughter of Susan and Robert Hale, correct?"

Rosalie nodded, looking to her mother who unsurprisingly had a drink with her and was currently taking a rather large gulp of it. "Yes, but I'm not sure what you mean by gift."

The blonde man spoke again. "Hm. Not surprising; you probably would have gotten anything you wanted without it anyways."

Rosalie's trademark glare was back in place. "_Excuse me?_"

"I would imagine you've never had anyone say no to you before, am I right?" The man asked with a slight smirk. Rosalie shifted in her seat, adding ice to the glare that seemed to have almost an effect on the man who lost his smirk. "Well I can assure you it has nothing to do with your appearance, Miss Hale."

Rosalie was a tall girl, with flowing blonde hair, blemish free skin, and striking violet/blue eyes. That added to the fact that she knew how to use this to her advantage; she had never come across anyone to deny her something, whether it be free movie tickets, an outdated discount in a store, or anything.

The man continued. "Your gift is in it's very basic stages, along with the other teenagers that will be staying at the Home we spoke to your parents about. The Doctor will help you develop it."

"What makes you think I'll go? I've got everything I need right here." She replied in a bored tone, inspecting her nails. She wanted to know more about what was going on before deciding to move anywhere and she could already tell that's where this was leading.

Caius needed to think of something to appeal to her, he knew that, and grinned when something came to mind. "After you're done with the Doctor, you can consider everyone you come across as your own personal marionette."

Rosalie's eyes widened. Was he implying that she would be able to...?

She glanced back at her father speaking to the other man about 'adding a few more zeros to that number' and then to her mother who was getting a little tipsy and was on her next drink.

Rosalie looked back to the blonde man who was still grinning, if possible even wider. "When do we leave?"

**XxXxXxXx**

Caius grabbed the sleeve of Marcus's suit. "Wait a minute; keep your emotions in check. Sincerity. Concentrate on that."

Marcus nodded before they started down to the end of the train and the hooded figure slumped in the very last seat. As they approached, they caught a pair of frantic brown eyes glance up at them from under the hood, two scars running from the left blonde eyebrow, down across the cheek, to the top lip. More scars came into view as the boy tilted his head up to look at them, running up and down his neck and chin.

Jasper caught the men staring at his scars and felt curiosity rolling off them in waves. "Animal attack. I was mauled by a dog, well, wolf." He muttered and the men shot their gazes up to his eyes. The emotions shifted and Jasper fought to block out everyone on the train except these two men in suits. False sincerity. He could always tell; sincerity was a strong emotion, very similar to conviction, and if he had to give them an image, it would be a wall. A big strong wall, like the Wall of China. When people emulated them, he could feel how weak it was.

"Mr. Whitlock?" The blonde man asked.

Jasper himself was blonde, but it was more of a gold and blonde mixed, his hair short and wavy/curly. He was also taller than the two and was confident that he could fight them off if he had to. Years on the run and living on the streets taught him that strength was essential to surviving, and he had done all but weight lifting to try and bulk up. Unfortunately, without the weights; he wasn't body builder big, but he _was_ bigger than a lot of guys.

"Yes, sir." His southern drawl kicked in.

The blonde man smiled and stuck out his hand. "Good to meet you, son." He said.

Jasper's scarred hand shook his a little rougher than he meant to. He didn't like it when people called him son, it was usually mocking his accent. "Can I help you with something?"

The man shook his head. "It's _us_ who can help _you_ with something. Your gift."

Jasper stiffened, scanning the men. Truth, he was telling the truth, they could help with his gift, but secrecy as well. They were still hiding something. Jasper never liked that emotion; it was like a shadow that lurked behind all the other emotions, he didn't like it because he knew it was there but could never tell _what_ it was.

"That's it?" He asked. "You just want to help? No catch?" He asked skeptically.

The other man nodded. "We wouldn't take advantage of you like that. You're just a kid." He said, an awkward smile following his words.

Jasper's eyes narrowed. Lies. He didn't need his...'gift' to tell that. "So you're just helping little ol' me out of the goodness of your heart. Real southern hospitality like?"

The blonde man nodded. "Of course. There is a Home out in Seattle waiting for you, along with a Doctor who can help you with your gift."

Jasper slumped back in the seat, resting his hooded head against the graffitied window and crossed his arms. "You keep calling it a gift." He growled.

"And?"

"It's not."

The blonde man's impatience filled the back end of the train as Jasper looked down, inspecting the old green denim jacket. It was his father's from the army, something sent to him along with a letter explaining that his father wouldn't be coming home ever again. Jasper stared at the 'Whitlock' and three stars below it that was over his heart. "Controlled, it could be."

Jasper sighed. He didn't trust these men as far as he could throw them; they were hiding something, something important, but they were serious about helping his gift. Besides, they said home, and home meant a bed; something Jasper hadn't had in a couple of weeks.

"Fine." He replied, looking up at the men who looked pleased.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

Ren grinned over her easel, sitting back on her feet on her stool and slashed at the blank canvas with an emerald green. She cackled before dipping another brush into the chocolate brown, striking at the easel. She picked up the green brush again and flicked it at her art, doing the same with the other, giggling as paint splattered her cheeks and chin, and most likely her hair as well.

Larger hands, with long fingers talented at playing the piano, grabbed her smaller ones, stilling them. "And what is it you call this?" A smooth voice asked above her.

Ren hopped off her stool and turned to regard her twin seriously. "Windows to the Soul."

Edward studied the painting and then nodded, locking gazes with the emerald green and chocolate brown eyes of his sister. Curly bronze hair spilled over her shoulders and down her back with flecks of paint in it, her school uniform also covered in paint, her tie hanging loose. "Mom's going to kill you for wrecking more of your clothes."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Mom is, or you are?" She asked, looking over her brother's wrinkle free, pristine school uniform; even his tie was in a perfect knot, the bows on his shoes the same length. She often wondered if he wasn't a little OCD. Edward just rolled his green eyes, unnecessarily smoothing his dark blue sweater vest. "You just don't seem to understand that sometimes when inspiration strikes; there's no time to put on a smock!" She cried, skipping off through the room, ignoring the annoyed looks her classmates were giving her.

Edward followed his sister over to her cubby in the corner of the room, running a hand through his unruly bronze hair that was constantly defying gravity. Her cubby was the fullest, crammed with folders filled with paper covered in doodles, or full blown pictures, photographs, and paintings. "You couldn't wait two seconds?"

Ren shook her head vigorously. "I couldn't! I-I had to get them out onto paper! Out of my head!" She said, pausing and blinking furiously as more images filled her mind. She smiled cheekily over at her brother as he put a hand on her shoulder. She knew he was worried about her; her mother and father were too, but she was too busy worrying about Edward. Personally, she thought his problem was much worse than hers.

"Did you see the mural on the side of the gas station this morning?" Edward asked as Ren shoved the folders and books of her art into her backpack - she had to make room for more now, though she wasn't sure where these would go. Her walls and desk in her room were already full.

"Yes! It was beautiful!" She commented as she pictured it. It had really caught her eye this morning; all the colours were quite vibrant, the strokes of the brushes they used were powerful...

A handful of kids around the room gasped, and Edward shook his head, flickers of the mural invading his head. "Ren!" He gasped.

Ren shook her head, clearing it as Edward grabbed her hand, walking as quickly as possible to the door where he pulled his sister down the hall. He finally stopped in the stairwell, turning to face her, lifting her face to look at him. Guilt filled her eyes, but his smoldered with concern rather than anger. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Edward wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. "It's okay. It's fine. No one was hurt." He told her, though he was panicking in his head. He wasn't sure how bad the situation was; he was certain it was only two or three kids who got the image, but if they started talking... he would have to tell their parents, but he knew how upset their father would get. Mrs. Masen was sick, and all this moving around was taking it's toll on her. Ren had promised she'd make sure it wouldn't happen again and they wouldn't need to move this time, and she had done well for the last three months, but she didn't know how to control this...

"Edward and Renesmee Masen?" A voice broke Edward from his thoughts.

Edward pushed Ren behind him, regarding the two men in dark suits curiously and cautiously. "Whose asking?"

The blonde man smiled. "Not to worry, Edward. We're here to help."

Edward's eyes narrowed. "Help who with what?" He asked.

Ren looked over her brother's shoulder, taking in both men and their dark suits; they kind of reminded her of the movie Men In Black. Especially the dark haired one; if he were a little older and his hair shorter with sunglasses...

Marcus, Caius, and Edward's eyes glazed over; seeing Marcus growing old in a pair of sunglasses, his hair shortening -

"With that." Caius grinned, his vision clearing as Ren ducked behind Edward again. "And with you and the voices you hear."

Edward bit his lip. Perhaps they wouldn't have to move again, his mother could rest and try to get better. "How?"

Marcus smirked. "We should continue this conversation with your parents."

**XxXxXxXx**

Jasper flopped down on the bed on his side of the room, sighing a deep sigh. He could feel the woman, Esme, standing in the doorway watching him with amusement and a twinge of sympathy. He knew she knew about his situation, and Jasper had been reluctant to follow her up the stairs with the other teenagers, but he could feel her kindness, her caring nature. It was surprising. He hadn't met the Doctor yet, but if he was anything like Esme; Jasper would feel a lot better about his decision to come here.

"Thank you, ma'am." He said, pulling off his jacket and hoodie, standing there in a t-shirt and jeans. He felt Esme's shock and concern at his scars, but didn't comment on it, instead looked to her .

Esme smiled at him, trying not to look at the scars. She read his file. She knew about the attack. But she didn't think it was that bad; he had survived and was out of the hospital a week later. She gestured to the tall wardrobe on his side of the room that matched the one on the other. "There are clothes and towels in there for you; if there's anything else you would like or need, let me know so I can get it when I go out again."

Jasper nodded gratefully, looking over the jeans and pajamas, the sweaters and t-shirts, the fluffy looking towels, the socks and under garments, belts, and everything else in the wardrobe. This was more than he had even with his dad. Jasper absently reached up to hold the dog tags around his neck, picturing the last time he saw his father.

Esme quietly backed out of the room; she could tell Jasper wanted to be alone until the last arrival came. She walked down the hall and to the next door, her smile coming back wider. The manor was full of kids and Esme couldn't be happier. It had taken a lot of patience for her to wait all these years for the program to begin. She was thrilled that Carlisle was going to be helping these kids and that she could help him, and them if need be.

Esme knocked on the door, waiting for the muffled 'come in' before opening it. Her mouth fell open as she took in the sketches, painting, and pictures up all over the walls and ceiling, and looked to the sheepish giggle from the left side of the room. "I hope you don't mind; I couldn't fit them all in my desk here." Ren said, motioning to the desk on her side of the room that was covered in books of more drawings and paintings. "But I'm done unpacking!" She said, pointing to her wardrobe.

Esme looked over at the wrinkled clothes on the hangers, and the rest of the clothing jammed in the drawers, laughing quietly to herself. "Did you need some help, honey?" She asked, walking over to it.

Ren scrambled down the bed and slapped the side of the wardrobe as she bounced. "I was never good at these things." She said, nodding her head.

"Be sure to thank her, Ren." Edward murmured from the other side of the room. He was refolding the clothing he unpacked from his bags and was neatly putting them away in the wardrobe. He had just finished organizing his desk and bedside table.

Esme waved off the comment as she pulled clothes and set them on the bed beside Ren. "It's not a problem at all." She said, smiling lovingly at the messy girl.

"Thanks anyways." Ren said, sincerely. She might have been unorganized and messy, her grades fairly low, and nearly the complete opposite of her brother, but one thing the two shared were their polite manners. Ren was raised proper, just like her brother, and she'd show him she knew that.

In the next room Rosalie and Alice were staring at each other.

_"Share?"_ Rosalie scoffed, rolling her eyes. Alice just sighed. "I have to share a room. With you. Share."

"Yes, share, as in we both sleep in here, it's _ours_ not _yours_." She replied, reaching for her bags on the bed to start unpacking. Alice was less than thrilled about having to share the room with Rosalie, anyone else she would have no problem with, but she could just tell there would be future issues with this girl.

Rosalie watched Alice take out each article of clothing, wringing her hands behind her back nervously. Sharing. Rosalie had never shared anything with anyone, and had never let anyone else in her room, never mind share one with someone. A room was personal. It reflected who you were. Rosalie wasn't prepared to open up to this girl here, but couldn't _not_ when they had the same room. Rosalie was a seemingly confident person; she was all too aware of the fact that everyone liked her appearance and would kill to have it. She didn't mind showing that off. It was the inside that she was afraid of letting people see.

Would they think she was spoiled and shallow?

_Was_ she spoiled and shallow?

Her parents were. Her friends were. Everyone she knew was.

How could she not be?

The thought terrified her. Rosalie has spent a good chunk of her childhood watching movies or reading - she hadn't had much friends then - and she had always wanted to be like the protagonists; the genuine nice guys who made all the friends and family and everyone loved that character best; but... she also knew that she was like the antagonist. The person who made the protagonist's life hell, who was mean and nasty and beautiful and hateful. She looked like them. Books constantly described them like her. Her parents acted like them, especially her mother. _Rosalie_ acted like them to please her mother, or when she was out with Jessica and Lauren.

Was it really still acting after all these years...?

Had she become what she feared she would without even realizing it...?

Alice sighed and turned to Rosalie who was staring at her. The vulnerable look she had thought she saw vanished before she could be sure, and Rosalie was glaring, stomping over to her bed to start unpacking. "Look, I know you're not happy about this, but we don't have to talk or be best friends or anything if it offends you or something, alright? So lose the glare." She snapped.

Alice was having a bad day and she missed her sister. A lot. Plus she wasn't sure if she was getting bad vibes from this place and good vibes from Esme, or the other way around. All she knew was that this was a bad and good idea. Something bad and good would come of this. The only problem was she didn't know _what_ either were. It was frustrating her to no end.

There was a knock on the door and both girls turned as Alice called whoever it was inside. Esme's head popped in, smiling at both the girls. "Everyone is downstairs, the last arrival is here. Carlisle wants to speak with you all."

Alice put down her shirt, following Esme out into the hall with Rosalie trailing behind. The manor was huge, like, really huge. Esme had told them that the basement was a gym of sorts where they could exercise and stay fit and healthy, and where Carlisle would work with people who had a more physical gift, then the ground floor had the living room, the media room with a bunch of TVs, computers, game systems, and other electronics for entertainment, the kitchen, and the laundry room, the third floor had a bunch of rooms for classrooms for regular classes, Carlisle's study for working on everyone's gifts, and Esme's office, the fourth floor was where everyone's bedrooms were and also the bathrooms, and the last was the attic where they kept old things that they didn't use anymore.

Everyone was in the living room when Alice and Rosalie arrived, both of them taking a seat on a couch or lounge chair. Alice could only see everyone who was here before when she arrived, along with the Doctor, Carlisle who had blonde hair slicked back, and kind grey eyes. Both he and Esme, who had long carmel hair and warm green eyes, were relatively young adults. Late twenties, very early thirties maybe.

There was a knock on the door and Esme left to go answer it while everyone in the room looked around at each other. Carlisle slipped a small pad of paper and his pen back into his lab coat pocket, smiling at the group.

"Oh my." Esme exclaimed, her hand falling from the door knob as she stepped aside to let the arrivals in and followed them to the living room where Carlisle blanched momentarily.

A large man, who was really just a very large bear of a teenager, with short dark hair that was slicked back like Carlisle's though had a few rebellious curls in it, was standing in the entrance to the living room. He had wide friendly blue eyes that took in everyone's face with amusement, and arms that were more like tree trunks because of the massive muscle he had. The dimples he got as he grinned at everyone destroyed the scary image he carried with him.

The girl standing beside him was very pale, with long mahogany hair that reached her lower back, and bright gold eyes that flickered around the room before landing on Carlisle. What was eye-catching and had everyone gaping was not the mountain of a boy, nor the strange gold eyes the girl had, but rather what she was wearing. White tennis shoes with cuffs around her ankles with enough give for her to take small steps, an orange jumpsuit, with a straight jacket over top, and the black plate that was strapped to her mouth, covering it so she couldn't bite anyone.

Emmett, the large boy, slapped the girl's shoulder, speaking with a thick Italian accent. "Don't worry. This is just for the transportation on the plane and van ride over. _This_ is for every day use, until you comfortable otherwise." He said, holding up what looked like a thick, wide brown belt. The only thing odd about it was the two big loops on the front where it looked like wrists were buckled to. "_Fashionalbe, eh Bellah?"_ His accent seemed even thicker when he spoke Italian, especially with Isabella's name.

Isabella only snorted, looking at the ugly thing.

"Dude..." Ren breathed. "We're housing with a convict!" She whispered, turning to Edward with wide, excited eyes.

Carlisle clapped his hands, forcing everyone's eyes to look over at him and his anxious smile. "Welcome to The Manor, where you'll be living for the next year. Any questions?"

**XxXxXxXx**

**O.O Daaaaaaaamn. Another story. Oi.**

**Well, like always, REVIEWS are quite welcome and so very greatly appreciated.**

**-Paige.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. This is also closely based on the book **_**Dark Visions**_** by **_**Lisa J Smith**_**, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well. And anything else you see that's familiar. **

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner. **

**Summary: 'They said they could help us. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them…' AU. R&R.**

The rest of that night had mostly consisted of everyone asking any questions they could think of, and Carlisle answering to the best of his abilities. He explained to them that they had had special gifts that he would help them work with and develop, to control them and not let them wreck their lives. No one really went into specifics, none of the kids wanting any of the others to know what they could do. They were so used to hiding it; having it be their deepest, darkest secret to keep from everyone and the world.

Apparently for the next year, they would all be living there and taking classes while Carlisle worked with them. They could still go out, but they were to talk to Carlisle and Esme about it first, and always have their cell phones on them in case of an emergency, which Esme gave to each of them. It was tense and awkward when she stood in front of Isabella, holding out the sleek, silver cell phone. "Sorry." She said quickly, handing it to Emmett while Bella watched her with those curious golden eyes.

Carlisle also explained the twelves o'clock lights out rule and that all the lights in the manor would be off by then. Both Carlisle and Esme's offices were absolutely off limits, and no one was to go into the attic unless asking or asked of.

Other than that, both Esme and Carlisle were pretty slack.

Esme made dinner after that, which Emmett and Isabella skipped so they could go set up the room they'd be sharing.

The next morning didn't go as smooth as one would have hoped. That was expected though, seeing as it was, in fact, the first morning together. So while a smooth and easy morning would have been much more simple, it just wasn't in the cards and no one was surprised really. Other than Esme. She had _really_ hoped all the kids would get along.

Everyone had slowly made their way to the dining room, where there was a long wooden table, enough chairs along it for everyone to fit, with Carlisle and Esme at each end. The table was full of food, all steaming hot and smelling delicious, it had everyone's stomach growling.

Most everyone was quiet, all staring down at their empty plates or nervously looking at one another while Isabella and Emmett entered the kitchen. Though she was no longer in chains, she still had that big belt thing that her wrists were strapped to, and Emmett still couldn't leave her side yet. She wore regular clothes, which helped a little; a pair of jeans and a black tank top.

Her golden eyes swept across the room, taking in every detail, landing on each face and assessing it, before they zeroed in on the two empty chairs at one end of the table. Alice froze as the empty chair next to her was kicked out, the taller girl sitting down next to her with Emmett on the other side.

Emmett cleared his throat, looking up at everyone. "Uh, good morning." He said in a cheery voice, still thick with that Italian accent. "Smells very good, Esme."

"Thank you." She said with a warm smile. "Will Isabella-"

"_Bellah_." Said girl interrupted quietly, her golden eyes meeting Esme's green ones. "_Bellah_." She repeated, with a firm nod, trying to get the message across.

Emmet nodded as well. "Isabella makes her feel old."

"Oh, okay. Well, Bella, are you going to be able to eat properly with your belt on?" Esme asked, glancing down to the thing. She watched the brunette's brows furrow in confusion, her golden eyes looking to Emmett and back to Esme again.

Hesitating for a second, Alice tapped the taller girl's shoulder, waiting until she faced her. "The belt." She said, pointing to it. "Don't you need your hands?" She asked, waving hers around.

Bella nodded slowly. "One hand." Her own accent was even thicker than Emmett's and it was then that everyone put two and two together, realizing Bella didn't understand nearly as much English as Emmett did.

"Oh! Sorry, Bellah." Said boy quickly started undoing the buckle to one wrist, smiling sheepishly as Bella rolled her wrist and picked up her fork.

"Grazi," She murmured with a small smile.

Feeling the tense atmosphere start to lessen, Ren shifted in her seat and tucked her hair behind one ear. She sat across the table from the Italians, staring in wonder and glancing over to Edward every few moments. "So, Bella," She said, gaining the older girl's attention. Like everyone else, there was a moment of pause when the golden eyes landed on her. A small voice whispering in the back of their minds, scolding them for bringing attention to themselves around this…person. "Why'd you have the Hannibal Lector get-up on yesterday?" She asked. Bella looked at her blankly. "You know the metal plate thing?" She revised, making a square over her own mouth.

Bella's eyebrows rose as an amused look entered her golden eyes. She flashed the younger girl a smile, revealing rather sharp looking, elongated canines. "I bite." She smirked.

Ren's mismatched eyes grew wide as a grin took purchase on her face, looking over to her twin. "Edward…_look!_"

Edward was frowning, pulling his sister's chair closer to his as he sat straighter. "Dr. Carlisle, are you sure it is…safe to be housing with a criminal?"

"Edward!" Ren groaned.

He looked down at her with worried eyes. "What, am I not allowed to be a little…cautious of someone who was transferred here from a prison_? _That's where she's from, Ren. You understand that, right? She may seem cool and different, but she was locked away for a reason." He said sternly.

Emmett puffed up his chest. "Perhaps you should save your judgments until you've actually gotten to know Bellah." He growled, trying to stay calm.

Bella picked up on his tense posture and the growl though, knowing something was wrong, and tensed as well. Alice bit her lip, looking to the taller girl and then to Edward, before looking to Carlisle who was frowning. Carlisle cleared his throat. "I know that this will be different, and I assure you, Edward, you're perfectly safe, but I also think you should take Emmett's advice and give Bella a ch-"

"A chance to what? What did she do? Why was she locked away, then?" Edward demanded. "We didn't know we would be sharing a roof with a prisoner when we agreed to move here."

Grunting, Jasper squeezed his eyes closed. The onslaught of emotions were hitting him like a freight train. Apprehension, anger, impatience, curiosity, anxiousness, annoyance. He felt himself shifting through each quicker than one was meant to, unable to keep up and feeling like he was getting whiplash. "Stop…" He whispered, holding his face in his hands.

There was an uproar now though, Edward still demanding to know what Bella did, demanding answers to too many questions for Carlisle to keep up. All the while he tried to sift through everyone's minds to find an answer himself, too impatient to wait. "Is there a reason you're not telling us?" He barked, his over protectiveness for Ren making him lose focus of himself.

Furiously trying to keep up with all the conversations, Bella kept looking from Emmett to Edward. She'd catch words here and there, piecing sentences together, but was still mostly in the dark. It was too loud, and everyone was talking too fast to keep up. Even Alice was trying to get Edward to calm down now, noticing Jasper falling apart and Bella getting anxious. "Seriously, stop." She tried to tell Edward.

Ren, too, was tugging on Edward's sleeve, trying to get him to sit down. She knew once he got like this, it was hard for him to stop. He had been taking care of her and their mother for years, while their father was always working. It had…changed Edward from the carefree, happy and fun brother he used to be, to this strict…and, well, ass of a boy. She knew he couldn't help it, and would always apologize profusely afterwards, but that didn't make it any less… annoying, or stressful.

Rosalie sighed, leaning back in her chair casually, stirring her glass of orange juice with her straw. This wasn't anything new to her. Arguments at the dinner table, fighting, yelling… she had grown up with this. Her violet eyes flickered over to the blonde boy beside her whose fists were clenched so tight they were turning white. She frowned, looking to the boy on her other side that was still standing and yelling. "Everyone just shut up; you're giving me a headache." She huffed.

Silence fell over the room, everyone's eyes widening. Edward faltered, still wanting and _trying_ to demand answers, but… he couldn't. The inability to speak started freaking him out and he looked over to Ren who was feeling her lips, making sure they hadn't somehow gotten glued together. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to speak, but…her voice just wouldn't make noise.

Rosalie sighed in relief, sitting straighter. "Thank you. Honestly, you're acting like a bunch of children. You," She pointed to Edward. "Stop being an ass. If you were in danger; they would have told you. She's _locked_ to that stupid belt thing, for crying out loud. _Plus_, she has a mountain of a boy making sure she doesn't do anything bad. So calm the hell down. And you," she looked over to Carlisle. "Probably _should_ have warned us that some of the other kids were jackasses and convicts." She glanced around the room once more before leaning back again. "You can talk now, as long as you don't start shouting again."

"-to know!" Edward's voice rang out, finishing his last sentence from before. His brows furrowed. "How did you do that?"

Rosalie lifted and dropped her shoulders, watching the orange juice in her class spiral around and around with disinterest. "I get what I want; whether you're willing or not. I don't know how it works."

Carlisle cleared his throat, his eyes full of fascination. "Mind Manipulation, more commonly known as brain control. You project your desire of what you want other people to do or say, into their own mind and their body reacts to the thought, fulfilling your wishes. If we concentrated, and focused enough; we could refrain from doing so and ignore the thought, relinquishing your control at this point. You gift is in its very basic form. But, after training and working with me; you will be able to… in simplest terms, reach into another person's mind and pull their strings, so to speak. They will have no choice, because you would be _forcing _them to, instead of just…well, suggesting like right now."

It was obvious to everyone in the room that the Doctor was very passionate about his work, if the nearly gleeful look on his face was anything to go by.

Everyone stared at Carlisle, some with hope, others with apprehension. Alice was the first to speak. "So… you really can help me? Help us?"

Carlisle nodded. "If you give me the chance, then yes, I can."

**XXxxXXxxXX**

Esme closed the large metal door to the stairs behind her, the deafening slam of it because of its weight, making everyone jump. It had a morbid ring echoing throughout the room. Caged. Shut in. Locked away. Everyone's thoughts on it were all basically the same as they shifted nervously.

The older woman, with an air of kindness, turned around with a happy smile on her face. She frowned, noticing all the slightly panicked faces. "I'm sorry, did you want it open still? I just thought you'd prefer it closed."

Ren waved it off. "Nah, that's fine. Just felt a little… foreshadowing. You know, like in the movies. That would be a hint so you're not totally shocked later on when someone is like, I don't know, locked down here to be tortured. There's always the big metal door, closing with that sense of…dread, I guess."

"You watch way too many movies." Edward murmured.

Carlisle cleared his throat, motioning for everyone to sit in a chair while he did as well, facing all of them. "So I thought today, we would just discuss. Training can begin tomorrow, along with regular classes. Tudors will be arriving at eight in the morning, so I expect all of you to be bathed, brushed, and ready before then. Class only lasts an hour each day, but you have three classes that are mandatory; math, science, and English. Any other studies you wish to continue from previous schools, can also be taken up again. You can speak to Esme about that later though."

"And for those of us who have already graduated?" Emmett asked. "I'm twenty three."

"You will still have to accompany Bella during her own classes, I'm afraid." Carlisle replied.

Bella snorted with a smirk as Emmett's face fell. She didn't need to understand why, she never actually needed a reason. The kicked puppy look on his face was amusing by itself.

"So we're here to talk about class? Couldn't we do that in the living room or something? Somewhere more…comfortable?" Rosalie asked, shifting on the hard plastic seat.

Frowning, Carlisle ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Uh, no, we aren't talking about classes. I just thought I'd get that out of the way. We are actually going to talk about your gifts. About you."

There was a long pause and Alice impatiently leaned forward, nodding like mad. "And…?"

Carlisle smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, I don't know where to begin. I don't want anyone to freak out…" He murmured, shaking his head. "Alright, well… none of you are human."

…

"What?"

"You're crazy!"

"Is it wise to be drinking this early, doc?"

"Obviously he's joking."

"_Obviously_, but it was tasteless."

Carlisle held up his hands, waiting for everyone to settle down and stop speaking. "I'm sorry, I could have handled that better. But, essentially, none of you are human. Your genetic structure, your DNA, it isn't like mine or Esme's or even Emmett's. There are small, but drastic, differences that make it possible for you to do what you do. But because of these small differences in your genes, you cannot technically be classified as human."

Again, everyone got into an uproar. Jasper edged his chair away from the group, crossing his arms over his chest as he worked to block everyone out.

"It isn't anything to be scared of or worry about; you aren't the first of your kind!" Carlisle said loudly, gaining everyone's attention again. "You are most definitely not the first, and probably not the only ones living today. You are, however, the only ones we could track down. And we're here to help you, to learn and educate, and study."

"Like... guinea pig?" Bella asked, frowning at the doctor.

"No, not like a guinea pig. Just… we want to learn more about you, and want to help _you_ learn more about you. You will be studying yourselves along with us." He replied hastily. "Don't you want to know why you need the blood?" He asked, pointing to his neck and his mouth.

Bella faltered, her eyes widening as she looked at him.

"Your body requires the blood and chemical balance of human blood so it doesn't crash. Like we need food for nutrition. It is just the same. Your body and system is different from ours; you're so different, but you need something in our blood to function, otherwise you get sick, and eventually die, like we would without water. I'm just going to try and help you figure that out. Find a reason why. Try to make things easier for you, and to do that, I need to study you. To learn about you. And all the others. Do you understand?" He asked gently. It was slightly harder to explain these things in a more simpler way for the kids to understand, and even more difficult to Bella who probably only understood half of what he said. If that.

With her brows furrowed, Bella slowly nodded, looking at the Doctor hesitantly. "To…help?" Carlisle nodded furiously with a beaming smile. "No… the hurting, no the danger, just help?" As intimidating as the girl was, Esme couldn't help but silently coo at the broken english.

"Yes, of course." He said, confusion almost colouring his face. He couldn't fathom why this girl, this _vampire_, almost looked…scared?

It was silent for just a moment. "Hold the phone, man." Ren said, shifting in her seat. Everyone looked over to her as she stared from Carlisle to Bella and back again. "You're seriously going to sit there and tell us that she's… a vampire? Like in the books and movies? Blood drinking, immortal vampire? You expect us to believe that?" She snorted.

Carlisle smiled gently. "Just as you expect everyone else to believe that you can actually put your illusions and images into someone else's head."

Blushing furiously, Ren sunk lower in her seat, avoiding eye contact. "Er, right. Sorry."

"I've got a question." Alice spoke up into the silence, glancing at Bella and meeting her golden eyes for a second before looking to Carlisle. "Why did she eat breakfast then? I mean, if she needs blood instead."

"'Cause no one wants to volunteer as her juice box." Rosalie scoffed with a smirk, examining her nails.

"Actually," Carlisle said. "Her body _needs_ blood to survive, but it can also digest food. She doesn't need the food like blood, but it wouldn't effect her negatively."

"Why bother though?" Alice asked.

Bella shifted as everyone's focus remained on her, all their curious and hesitant looks. She almost frowned when everyone in the room but Emmett and Esme flinched, though Carlisle did better at hiding it. Emmett patted her shoulder with a lopsided grin, turning to the pixie girl. "Why do you eat candy and junk food?"

Everyone smiled a little.

Junk food tasted good; who wouldn't indulge just a little everyone once in a while.

Alice nodded, looking a little sheepishly. "Oh," She said quietly.

At the clearing of his throat, everyone turned to look at Jasper. He ran a hand through his locks, the corner of his mouth quirking up nervously. "So, Bella here is a vampire, while Miss Hale is a Siren of sorts, and Ren is… an illusionist? I was just wonderin' what the rest of y'all are." He said in his Southern accent.

Edward and Alice both shifted nervously. Edward was hesitant because he wasn't used to talking about it to anyone but his family; it was personal things, and he didn't feel that everyone should be privy to it. Alice, on the other hand, remained silent because she learned the hard way not to tell _anyone_ about her own gift. Instead, she tilted her head, and fired the question right back at him. "What about you?"

Fear. Apprehension. Curiosity. Hurt. Betrayal. All these emotions were emanating from the smaller girl, though her face remained impressively stoic. "I'm an empath," He said quietly, looking at everyone around the room. "Which means I can feel and manipulate other peoples' emotions."

Rosalie sighed, crossing her arms. "Great, even _less_ privacy around here now."

She couldn't stop the snort that worked its way out of Ren, and when those annoyed violet eyes landed on her, she chuckled. "Wow, you're _really_ not going to like it around here when you find out that Eddie can read everyone's thoughts." Rosalie's eyes widened comically.

"Yeah, well, she can dream the future!" Edward gasped out, pointing an accusing finger across the room at Alice who flinched. He was quick to get the focus back off of him, his heart pounding in his chest almost painfully.

_"Visioni del futuro?"_ The Italian words uttered quietly distracted Alice from the terror of the other boy's actions.

She looked up into deep pools of molten gold, swirling around with darker specs in them. The long, curly lashes surrounded them batted against porcelain pale cheeks, and Alice was struck by the beauty of the girl sitting next to her. She hadn't noticed before, too distracted by the metal plate over her mouth, the orange jump suit, the big belt, or, more recently, the large _fangs_. She had a wild, alluring image as apposed to Rosalie's glaringly obvious beauty in the classical sense.

And when the Italian girl nodded firmly with intrigue and wonder in her eyes, Alice felt that terror subdue until it was gone and her shoulders relax. She slowly, hesitantly, smiled up at the girl, nodding back at her.

"Well that's just great, _fantastic_," Rosalie snarled, glaring at everyone who looked at her. "First I have to share a room, then find out I'm under the same roof as a freaking _vampire_, and now also empaths and mind readers."

"Could be worse," Emmett mused with a grin at the blonde bomb shell. "You could be sharing your room _with_ the vampire." He teased, winking down at Bella when she looked at him.

Ren snorted again while Edward rolled his eyes, huffing in frustration. "Yes, bad jokes, _that's_ what this situation needs."

Carlisle and Esme watched with frowns and deflated spirits, the kids arguing and fighting with each other, at their throats once again. Esme sighed, leaning her head onto Carlisle's shoulder, humming. "I think this is going to be a little more difficult than I thought." She mused.

The Doctor grunted in response.

_Much_ more difficult.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

**This story is… fun. And interesting. I really enjoy writing it, though for some reason I find it harder to do. Perhaps because it isn't vampires, werewolves, or other supernatural things, or even just all human. It **_**is**_** more like X-Men like some of you mentioned. Maybe that's why?**

**Meh.**

**Still fun to write, and I hope that this chapter acts like a beacon of hope, a sign, PROOF, that I don't give up on my stories. Now matter how long it takes me to come back to them. So good news for those of you with patience like a star fish.**

**'Cause we all know how patient those star fish are, ammiright?**

**Review please.**

**I mean, if you read it. Perhaps most of you gave up? Although I don't think there were that many of you interested in this one to begin with. **

**So **_**Hello!**_** to the select few of you who may or may not be reading this. **

…**I really need to stop talking.**

**-Paige**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. This is also closely based on the book **_**Dark Visions**_** by **_**Lisa J Smith**_**, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well. And anything else you see that's familiar. **

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner. **

**Summary: 'They said they could help us. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them…' AU. R&R.**

_The Cullen Mansion_

Mr. Lockheart gulped, wiping the sweat from his forehead. It didn't help matters that he saw her golden eyes flicker down to his throat again, her jaw clenching tightly. The tutor cleared his throat, his smile nervous and feeble. "Uh, you're _sure_ that she can't break free from that?" He asked anxiously, looking down to the thick belt her pale wrists were locked into.

He didn't know why he was so worried; the girl was only five foot nine, _maybe_ ten, and though she _was_ toned, she wasn't very muscular by any means. But he couldn't help the fear from creeping into his heart, and the voice inside his head screaming at him to run away from her. It was the look she had in her eyes; such a hungry, haunted look. And those _teeth_! Those were no regular teeth.

"I can assure you, Mr. Lockheart, that you are perfectly safe in this mansion." Carlisle replied hastily. All the other kids were already in the classrooms on the level above, halfway through Math. The other tutors who had come in that morning were eager to start working with the kids; truly passionate about their work. They had even bit back their own concerns about Bella, and left to set up. Mr. Lockheart, however, was not so comfortable. After the initial introductions, he had pulled Carlisle, the large boy, and the frightening girl aside to speak with them privately. "You have nothing to worry about.

Carlisle was trying to hurry this along as quick as possible so he could get Bella to class. He didn't like that right off the hop, she was at least half an hour behind the other kids. He didn't want her to feel even _more_ alienated than she already was; as it was she had to have Emmett with her all the time 'for everyone's protection, but only as a precaution', and also a translator, so the others were still a little edgy around her.

The large mountain of a boy nodded furiously. "Bellah wouldn't hurt you, teacher." He said, trying not to glare. He was getting tired of everyone's assumptions of his friend. He had been working with her for three years now, and not once had he ever seen her so much as raise her voice to another person. Yes, she did get in those frighteningly reserved moods where she wouldn't let him near her, and he had to admit that she was rather… dark sometimes. But she was a kind person, and no one could see that past her chains… or belt, rather.

Said girl's fingers twitched and she watched as the, much, older man flinched. Her head tilted to the side as she studied him, noticing his discomfort rising. Her lips pressed into a thin line and she looked over to Emmett. _"Ha paura?"_ Was he really that scared of her?

Emmett hesitated, running a hand through his hair. "Yes,"

"I-I'm sorry, Doctor Cullen, but I cannot do my job here. I respectfully resign." Mr. Lockheart said, ducking his head before heading back to the front door.

Carlisle furrowed his brows and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the older man race out to his car and speed off down the long, twisting driveway. He took a deep breath and cleared his face, turning back to the other two. "I"m sorry about that, Bella." He said quietly.

The brunette opened her mouth, only to be cut off by Emmett who had a knowing smirk. "In english, Bellah; you need the practice." He said sternly. Carlisle and Esme agreed that she should try to speak in english for the majority of her conversations, but if she was really having trouble than Emmett could translate and they'd get her a language tutor.

She grumbled under her breath, her shoulders sinking and her fingers twitching again. "… Is not your…your… _guasto-guasto_…" She glanced up at Emmett curiously and he nodded encouragingly. "Uh, problema?"

Carlisle's lips twitched into a warm smile. Everyone, and by that he meant himself and Esme since Bella didn't make the effort to talk to anyone else, usually understood what Bella was trying to say, even if she did mix up words here and there, or left them out. "Well, let's get you into class, shall we?"

The three of them scaled the stairs and Carlisle knocked quietly on the door of one of the rooms. He smiled brightly as he entered, nodding at the teacher, and then glanced out at the other kids. None of them, save Edward, looked happy about having school work to do, everyone more or less glaring down at their papers as they worked on the problems. The kids looked up at the distraction, Rosalie huffing before looking back down at her paper. Bella followed Emmett to the back corner, watching the teacher slowly make her way to them with a hesitant smile.

With a final nod and smile, seeing Bella peer down curiously at the papers the teacher set on her desk, Carlisle went to go sort out the Lockheart issue.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

Jasper watched on curiously as the bronze haired artist leaned over her desk, furiously scribbling away. He was well aware that no one in the room, except for Bella surprisingly, was focusing on their English. Everyone was rather bored at this point, and no one felt like reading, especially Shakespeare as none of them ever really followed along, and were all doing their own things while the teacher stepped out of the room to go to the washroom.

The led of her pencil broke and Ren frowned, sitting back and held it up in front of her face. She pouted, slamming it down onto her desk and grabbed her spare tucked behind her ear, leaning forward again and continued to sketch over her Math notes. Her chocolate brown and emerald green eyes flickered up now and then, meeting Jasper's darker ones, before returning to her work. She knew he was watching her, and couldn't focus enough to decide if it bothered her or not.

Edward, on the other hand, glared at the blonde boy as he slid his chair closer to his twin's. "Ren, you really shouldn't be making such a mess of your notes." Edward said quietly. "How are you going to study from them later?"

"Easy; I won't." She chirped back at him with a big smile. Her grin widened as Jasper chuckled and her brother's face twisted up like he had just been electrocuted. "Stress less, Eddie boy; I'll just study with you."

Her brother silently seethed, glaring daggers at Jasper. "And why don't _you_ get back to reading."

Jasper held up his hands in surrender, the corner of his mouth still quirked up. "No one here really _likes_ Shakespeare; not even you, no matter how sophisticated you try to seem."

Puffing up his chest and raising his chin, Edward huffed to himself. "Appreciating Shakespeare ins't about sophistication."

"I like it." A small voice spoke up from the corner of the room. Everyone turned to look at Alice, who was nearly swimming in the hood of her sweater, hugging one knee to her chest while her other leg hung off the front of the chair. She smiled sheepishly. "I mean, I don't understand a lot of it; but I like it." She said, a thoughtful look on her face. "Nothing was ever easy in his plays; there was no boy meets girl, falls in love, and happily ever after. There was always complications, albeit drastic ones, and people can sorta relate to that. 'Cause whose love life is perfect, anyways?" She shifted under everyone's gaze, ducking her face to try and hide in her hood again. "Or, you know, you could take comfort in the fact that your love life wasn't _that_ messed up, like his were."

The teacher breezed back into the room with a smile, looking around at everyone with furrowed brows. "Have you all read to page twenty? No? Well then get to it." She said brightly.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

A tense silence fell over the dining room as everyone stared down at their plates, slowly picking at their lunch. Surprisingly, no one really had anything to say to one another; something was just… off. Classes in the morning, lunch, training, free time, supper, and the evening to themselves. It was just too… scheduled.

Rosalie sighed, setting down her fork on her place, looking up around the table. "Does anyone else feel like they've been punished and sent to jail or something?"

"What?" Esme spluttered. She looked up from her own lunch with wide eyes, looking to Carlisle and then around at everyone else. "Is that what this feels like to you all?"

Alice shifted in her seat, biting her bottom lip. "Well… never mind; it's nothing."

"No, no; it's important to talk about these things." Esme said quickly. "Please, if something's bothering you or any of you have concerns, feel free to speak your mind. It isn't our intentions to make you feel like this is a prison, or that you're trapped here."

Jasper cleared his throat, smiling gently at the caramel haired woman who looked utterly devastated at the prospect of anyone feeling like they were locked up. "What I think they're tryin' to say, ma'am, is that we're not really used to such a…um, structured day."

"Talk for yourself." Bella muttered under her breath.

Emmett snorted, his large shoulders shaking. He grinned down at the girl when she scowled up at him, patting her shoulder. "Speak," He said and shook his head. "It's _speak_ for yourself."

Clearing his throat, Carlisle set his napkin down on the table beside his plate. "On paper, yes, I can see how all this may appear. But you'll settle into the routine with ease, I promise. It's just like your lives before; school in the morning and afternoon, and the evening at home."

"Minus our parents," Edward commented. He was surprised to find that no one but Ren and himself actually thought of their parents.

"And the classes are a little more exciting," His twin grinned widely.

Sighing quietly to herself again, Rosalie nodded absently. "Yeah, I guess. It's just still weird right now."

"Understandably so; this is still new." Carlisle agreed. "But if it remains 'weird' later on, I don't want any of you hesitating to speak with Esme. Talking is good, and anything you say to her would be for her ears only."

"It is best to relieve any stress you guys may suffer from, any way you can." Esme nodded. "Your lives are… complicated, for lack of a better term, and it would be 'weird' if you _didn't_ have something to say about all of this." She smiled kindly.

Alice's lips twitched into a smile and nodded.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

"Um , I don't really know how it works." Edward mumbled, looking around Carlisle's office. It was his 'training session' now and he was looking forward to it up until he realized that he had no idea how Carlisle would supposedly train him. Train him to do what? He already heard people's thoughts, what more could he do?

His mind flashed to the TV show that Ren was obsessed with; Heroes. One of the characters on it had the ability to read minds, but after a while it evolved into mind control and such. However, Rosalie could already do that without reading minds, so his own… gift, as Carlisle liked to call it, wouldn't evolve like that. How else could it evolve?

Edward cleared his throat. "I just… can hear people, whether they're talking or not. Always. Every day. Every hour. Every minute. Every second." He said, a shadow passing over his face. _Always_. It was non-stop.

"That is exactly what I'm going to help you with, Edward." Carlisle smiled gently. "I'm going to help you control it; so you can stop it and block out everyone's thoughts when you need some peace."

Nodding, the bronze haired boy clasped his hands on his lap. "That's… that's it? You're just going to teach me to turn it off; I'm not going to be able to do anything else?" Ren was simply ecstatic after her meeting with Carlisle, gushing about how the doctor was going to help her create her own illusions and images from scratch and control exactly what she puts in other people's minds. That was on top of teaching her how to control it and turn it off. _And who knows what else_, he thought to himself.

Great, even his 'superpower' was boring.

The doctor watched Edward, seemingly following his thought process. "Edward, my main concern for you, Alice, and Jasper is to teach you all how to turn off your gifts. Your abilities are the most overwhelming out of everyone else's, and it is very common for your kind to…"

Bronze eyebrows furrowed together as he listened to the rest of that thought. "We go crazy?" He asked, reeling back like he had been slapped. "We… we go insane?"

Carlisle ran a hand through his hair. "Well, untreated, it… your abilities takes its toll on you." He paused. "I don't mean to frighten you, Edward, but you _should_ be aware of the dangers. If you don't learn to turn it off, it _will_ twist you. You won't be able to distinguish between your thoughts and others', you won't know if someone's said something or thought it, and that could get you into trouble." He continued in a gentle tone. "Do you see, now, why it is so important, if boring?"

Edward nodded. "Yes, Dr. Carlisle. I just thought… I don't know, I guess I was jealous of all the other things everyone will be able to do. But I _am_ very thankful, in advance, for you teaching me how to turn this off. It _does_ get a little… too much, sometimes."

"Oh," Carlisle said, his face lighting up. "Don't you worry about being jealous, my boy; the things you can do will amaze you."

"You mean there's more?" He asked eagerly.

Carlisle laughed and nodded. "You didn't think it was just _present_ thoughts you could hear, did you?" Edward's eyes widened. "There's so much more to all of you; I can't wait to help you all discover it."

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

Ren skipped passed Carlisle's closed office door, knowing her brother was on the inside. She could practically see him sitting there, all rigid in his seat, with his hands politely clasped on his lap, so uncomfortable you'd swear he was sitting on a pin. She giggled at the thought, slowly shaking her head at her brother's tendencies.

She strolled into the living room where everyone else was; doing various things. She wasn't actually sure 'living room' was an adequate name. More like… entertainment room. There were TVs everywhere with satellite and a bunch of different gaming systems, with computers and laptops here and there. There was a big stereo in the corner of the room, and almost an entire wall of CDs beside it. Numerous couches were around the room, along with loveseats, recliners, and bean bags.

_It's too much for just seven kids,_ she thought to herself. Unless… was there supposed to be more with them, originally? She knew there was a bunch of other empty bedrooms on their floor, but she just assumed they were extra in this large mansion of a house. But what if there _was_ more that were supposed to have come here as well? If so, where were they? Why _weren't_ they here?

"You look deep in thought." A big, booming, accented voice said. Emmett, the giant of a boy, plopped down onto the love seat next to Ren, making her bounce up into the air slightly. His clear blue eyes crinkled when he grinned at her, running a hand through his dark hair. "You want to talk about it?"

Sh shrugged her shoulders, looking around the room at everyone, and then to Esme who was sitting in the corner with a magazine. She lowered her voice, leaning closer to the friendly giant. "I don't know; it's probably nothing, but… all of this just feels kinda off sometimes, you know?" She watched as Emmett's brows furrowed and he looked confused. For all of the English he knew, and all the big words he said to rub into Bella's face; he could never hear the words behind everyone's words. She didn't want to _say_ it; especially with Esme sitting in the room, but he was lost. "Well, have you ever noticed that we're never alone? Yeah, it's just the first day, but still. Not while we were getting ready," Esme was in the halls, bouncing around in excitement and helping them all get ready. "Not during breakfast, not during class or lunch, and now, during our free time, we're still being watched."

Humming to himself, Emmett looked around the room. "Esme just likes our company; she likes being around us." He justified, looking at the kind woman.

Ren nodded furiously. "No, I know. Her and Carlisle both are really cool people, but they're not the ones in charge, you know? They've got bosses, like those people who brought us here, and they kinda just rubbed me the wrong way." She shook her head, feeling a little embarrassed that the giant wasn't quick to agree with her. Was it all in her head? "Ah, forget it. I'm paranoid and have an over active imagination, Edward says it's my fatal flaw. I've just read and watched movies like this before. It's nothing." She rambled off.

"Can't hurt to be a little cautious." A southern accent said from behind them. They turned to see Jasper behind the couch, leaning on the back of it so he was eye level with the two. He smiled charmingly at Ren and nodded to Emmett with a pat on his shoulder. "Sorry 'bout that, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and I have to agree with the little lady here; I've seen too many movies like this. No one helps someone for just no reason."

Emmett tilted his head to the side. "Maybe so, but I trust the doctor and his wife. I have to; there is nowhere else for Bellah." He said, looking over to the brunette with affection. She was laying on one of the couches, napping, out like a light.

"What do you mean?" Jasper asked curiously, glancing up to smile at Esme who was watching them with a confused look. She smiled back, her eyes trained on them for another moment before she went back to her magazine.

An uncomfortable look passed over Emmett's face. "Well she was, uh… how do you say it… she was sentenced?" He glanced at them, watching them nod. "To Death Row before we left."

Ren gasped. "What did she do?"

"Nothing!" Came his immediate response. "I've known Bellah for three years now; I was a guard at the prison and I worked her Cell level, and not once did she ever so much as glare at another person. But right before we came here, I don't know, everyone seemed intent on provoking her for no reason." He said, his suspicions flaring up again. It had been strange then, but after what Ren said… maybe she was right. Those men _did_ show up at the right time, very conveniently, to take her away. "She attacked two different guards, and was sentenced. But I believe her when she said they attacked her first."

"Why would they attack her first?" Ren asked.

"I… I don't know; Laurent and James always were _bastardi_." He muttered.

Jasper nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line. "So why are _you_ here, if you were only a jail guard. No offence."

The giant shrugged his massive shoulders. "Bellah showed me what she was and told me she needed blood every day; I helped her with that discreetly. She wouldn't agree to go with those men, peacefully, unless I came along, she said."

"So she drank from you?" Ren asked, excited. Vampires were cool in her books, and the fact that she was living with one, blew her mind whenever she thought of it.

He furiously shook his head. "Of course not; I brought her blood. You don't just let a vampire chomp on you." He said, booming out a laugh as Jasper chuckled.

"I haven't seen her drinking any blood yet today." Jasper commented.

"Only in the morning before everyone gets up." Emmett said. "She doesn't like people seeing her like… like that."

Ren's eyes widened. "Why? Is it like Buffy vampires or something? Does her face get all 'grr' and stuff? Ooh, does she growl?"

"I…I shouldn't say; it's not my place." Emmett mumbled.

"Maybe she sparkles, like in those new movies." Jasper said, grinning ear to ear with Ren. "Not that we'd ever know, here in Washington."

"It _does_ rain a lot here, doesn't it?" Ren agreed.

The three looked out one of the many windows in the mansion, watching the rain pelt against it.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

"I have some good news, Bella." Carlisle said cheerily as the Italian slowly sat down in the chair on the other side of his desk. Emmett walked farther back into the office and plopped down on yet another couch, listening to the two. She raised an elegant, dark brow in question. "After meeting with all the others, they've more or less mentioned," Panicked would have been a better choice, Carlisle decided and chuckled lightly. "That none of them seem to be able to use their gift on you."

Her brows furrowed together and she glanced back at Emmett before looking back to the doctor. "I am… I am broken, then?" She asked, confused.

"What? No, Bella, you're most certainly not broken." Carlisle quickly said, seemingly more distraught at the idea than the girl herself was. "No, I believe it is because _your_ DNA is much more foreign than any of the others'." She tilted her head in confusion again. "How do I put this? Okay, the others are different from people… mentally," He tapped his head. "With their abilities, but you… you're _physically_ different." Here he pressed his hands to his chest, nodding with wide eyes. Emmett smothered his snicker. "You don't have an ability, per say, but because of how different your DNA is, you are immune to everyone else."

The girl still seemed utterly lost, looking back at Emmett desperately. "I don't… _non capisco._"

"It's a good thing, Bellah. Don't worry; no one can play with your head now." Emmett said, tapping his own head. Bella slowly nodded, calming down when she realized that Emmett seemed fine with whatever the doctor just said. He looked up to Carlisle. "So, if she doesn't have a gift, then what can you do for her?"

"There isn't a lot we know about vampires, actually." Carlisle said, settling back into his chair. "Many different people in the Volturi company have worked with other Psychics like the others before, and we always go from that data, but no one has ever worked with a vampire. So, with Bella we will mostly be learning about her, rather than teaching her. For instance, we need to determine fact from fiction; I find it hard to believe that she would actually burn in the sunlight." Emmett shook his head. "So you see, we will learn together."

The two nodded, going over Carlisle's words. Emmett ran his hand through his hair, looking up hesitantly. "Do you… do you think you could help with maybe one other thing?" At Carlisle's question mark of a face, he elaborated. "Bellah had great control over her thirst, but… it could be better. I mean, she's completely fine as is, if you keep out of her personal bubble. But if you were to cut your finger across the room, I… I don't think she could restrain herself." Which was why Emmett wouldn't let Esme ever unbuckle her wrists from the belt, or let anyone else come very close to her.

"Definitely," Carlisle nodded and smiled brightly. "I would be happy to help you with that, Bella."

The three looked at each other in the comfortable silence that fell over the office. "So, how do we start this?"

"Well, I have many different…um, books of lore and legends, and I would like to go through it and see what applies to Bella and what doesn't." Carlisle said, getting up and walking around his desk. "But that is for tomorrow; today I just wanted to meet with each of you separately to pin point exactly where you are with your gifts, and get your personal feelings and questions dealt with. I spoke with the others and they agreed to do actual training with everyone else; Esme feels it would be better that way."

"Why?"

"She doesn't think any of you would feel comfortable if I brought in other Volturi employees to train with each of you. She feels you trust each other, at least a little, more than complete strangers, because you all have being different in common. The more you work together, the more you will learn to trust and get along with each other." Carlisle smiled gently. Or, in Rosalie's words, '_I'd prefer to be weird in front of other weird people, rather than normal people_'.

"We can go, yes?" Bella asked, perking up as Carlisle walked over to his door. He nodded with another smile and she quickly got to her feet, rushing to the door. Bella didn't care for small spaces.

"Something smells good!" Emmett boomed out, sniffing the air as they left Carlisle's office.

All in all, today had turned out to be a good day in his books.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

**I'm kinda frustrated with this chapter a little bit. I don't know why; it feels… weak, I guess. Meh.**

**So review, and stuff. Is there anything specific you want to see? There's still a bunch of things that will have to be explained in other chapters and stuff, so I'll probably touch base on most of your questions, but still ask just in case I don't think of it. **

**-Paige**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. This is also closely based on the book **_**Dark Visions**_** by **_**Lisa J Smith**_**, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well. And anything else you see that's familiar. **

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner. **

**Summary: 'They said they could help us. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them…' AU. R&R.**

_The Cullen Mansion_

One week. One week since the seven of them entered the mansion, since they had unpacked, since Carlisle explained everything to them, since this all began.

It had been a… well, rough start. Rosalie and Ren didn't seem particularly fond of such scheduled days, Jasper wasn't used to so many people talking to him or even looking at him for more than a second, Edward was struggling with not being able to talk to his parents any time he wanted and was constantly worrying about his mother, Alice was still keeping her distance and always scribbling away notes and letters to her sister, and Bella…no one could really tell how Bella felt about everything. She didn't ever complain or comment on anything, consistently wearing an indifferent mask and following the flow of everyone else.

Esme noted that the only time Bella was ever really 'in the room' was if it had anything to do with Alice. She couldn't tell if the vampire was fascinated with the girl, or with her visions, but there was no mistaking the look of wonder that entered those golden eyes each time they landed on the little pixie.

Speaking of which…

Bella leaned forward in her chair, glancing down at the pad of paper in her hands, and then back up to Alice who was sitting in the middle of the room. Everyone else was sitting in a line of front of the girl, for another one of Alice's sessions. Carlisle had given them all pads and told them to draw something simple - anything they could think of, as long as it was quick and easy.

So everyone thought for a moment before scribbling away on the paper, and were now watching the pixie while holding their pads to their chests.

Alice hummed, shifting on her chair and crossing her arms over her chest. She didn't exactly like that she had to sit by herself, in the very middle of the room, with everyone's attention on her. She grumbled to herself, her electric blue eyes flicking over to Edward. "A book?" She asked hesitantly, watching as his eyes lit up. "It's… it's Catcher in the Rye… right?" She struggled to make out the messily written title of the book he drew.

"Amazing," He breathed. Edward had just gone through a similar test the other day, but he could actually see the pictures in everyone's minds. This girl - it was just… amazing, she could see it all, but from her _own_ mind. How similar and different their abilities were simply enthralled him. He had actually taken to trying to strike up a friendship with this girl. She was a little withdrawn, but incredibly friendly, and he felt he was making progress.

Ren bounced in her seat with an enormous grin on her face as Alice looked up at her. "A stick figure? From the artist?" Alice tilted her head, giving the girl a look.

"What? Carlisle said make it simple." Her bronze, curly locks swayed back and forth as she shook her head. "Still, that _is_ pretty cool."

"A boat." Alice chimed and Jasper nodded. "A star," Rosalie sighed quietly to herself, giving a faint nod. "A sandwich," Emmett boomed out a laugh and flipped his pad over, showing the sandwich. "And…and…um…" Alice furrowed her brows, closing her eyes to concentrate. This had been quite tricky to begin with; she had been struggling all week with Carlisle until she could finally do it, and then, just barely.

Carlisle had said that, with time, he would teach her how to force and block visions of the future. If it mean stopping those vivid, patchy, and confusing dreams, then she was all for it. She didn't _want_ to lose sleep anymore, she didn't _want_ to be afraid to sleep, sucked into something so real where she had no control.

Her dreams - visions - whatever, they weren't innocent. She didn't dream of it raining the next day, or what her mother was going to wear. She dreamt of Cynthia cracking her head open when they were younger, she dreamt of their neighbours; Mrs. Stanley, of her robbery and assault. She dreamt of future accidents and incidents, having to live through them and watch, being unable to do anything because no one ever believed her.

If staying there, living with those strangers, no longer able to ignore her… ability and what makes her so different, what makes her parents hate her, if it meant that she could finally, _finally_ have just one night of peaceful sleeping, then she would do it.

And now, after endless days of working with Carlisle, she could tell them what picture they all drew without looking at it.

Progress… mostly.

Of course, all except Bella. As usual.

When she closed her eyes, she couldn't see any pictures, couldn't see any images like the others. There was… nothing. It was blank. Empty. Just the backs of her eyelids.

Even though she was expecting this, after all no one else seemed to be able to use their abilities on the vampire either, it was still… off-putting, almost. It was like that feeling you get when you think you're drinking milk, but when you take a sip, it turns out to be water instead. Unexpected, even if it _was_ expected.

It was all very confusing to her.

"Nothing, I can't see anything." She finally said, opening her eyes again and looking to Carlisle. "Just like all the other times."

"Wonderful," Carlisle said abruptly, clapping his hands together once. He smiled brightly, looking around the room at everyone. "This is spectacular, Alice, you've gotten five out of six - though technically five out of five minus Bella. That's much better than last time." Three out of five, last time. She was certainly a quick learner, that was for sure.

Springing out of her seat, Ren skipped forward to Alice who also got up, showing the shorter girl her pad of paper. "That was awesome, Alice. You're getting so _good_ at this, I can hardly believe it!" She gushed.

Everyone started gathering their pads and pencils together and got up, ready to leave the basement until the next session. Carlisle always took half an hour after each one to scribble more detailed notes and document it in his office. Edward followed the doctor up the stairs, asking question after question about nearly everything, simply fascinated by the older man and his intelligence. Rosalie rolled her eyes, following them up the stairs while Esme went over to congratulate Alice as well.

Bella's golden eyes were swirling with something that Emmett couldn't name as he kneeled down in front of his friend's chair and started buckling her free hand back to the belt now that she no longer needed it to draw. He looked over his shoulder, trying to figure out what had captured the stoic girl's attention, taking in the three women on the other side of the room laughing and talking to each other.

His clear blue eyes looked back up to Bella who's lips twitched up in, what he assumed, was her version of a smile. Honestly, sometimes he wondered if the girl was made of stone. _"Magnifico,"_ She breathed, the deep blues of Alice's eyes flickering over to her for just a second before returning to Ren and Esme.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

"What do you think would… happen if we just kept running down… this road and didn't turn back?"

The massive trees on either side of the paved road towered over the two, deep woods on either side, thick like walls. The light fog hovering over the ground was spilling out from them, into the ditch on the sides of the road, the clouds above them light grey. It had just rained fifteen minutes ago, but Ren didn't doubt it would rain again soon. She looked beside her to Jasper who didn't even seem out of breath, his blonde curly/wavy locks bouncing as they jogged. He was wearing a white T shirt and a pair of jogging pants with runners, so she could see that all those scars ran all the way up his toned arms. Strangely enough, for other people she assumed, those scars added to the appeal for her. They made him look dangerous - a trait she thought many people had until she met Bella. People she used to think were 'badass' or 'dangerous', now just seemed… normal.

Except for Jasper.

She figured it was the quiet strength they both had; it kind of gave them a mysterious edge.

Jasper could feel the younger girl's eyes on him, waves of wonder rolling off of her. "We'd probably give Esme a heart attack, and Carlisle would send someone after us." He replied, glancing down at her. Her curly bronze hair was tied up in a pony at the back of her head, her mismatched eyes wide and expressive. Her and her brother were both very pale and almost gave Bella a run for her money. Her face was flushed, sweat covering her forehead with strands of her hair stuck to it, her breathing uneven and ragged as she struggled to keep up with him.

He _did_ warn her that he wasn't going on some casual walk, but she insisted that she could run.

Still, he slowed his pace down slightly, not enough for her to notice.

She grinned up at him, and forced her legs to continue. _Just keep running, just keep running, just keep running._ "So have… you thought of… anything else to… add to the list?" She asked between pants. _Just keep running._

Jasper furrowed his brows, shaking his head. "No, I've gone through every movie I've ever watched, and I can't come up with anything else." He replied. "Which is a good thing, because Bella's sessions are the most boring. I was starting to get tired of Carlisle asking her if she can do this or that and having her shake her head."

"Yeah," Ren agreed. "I still think… it's crap that she doesn't… have compulsion…"

The blonde nodded seriously. "And turning into bats. That would have been cool."

"Aaaaaaaand I'm done." Ren sighed, slowing down to a stop to double over and catch her breath. "Oh man," She wheezed.

Chuckling, Jasper stopped beside her, resting his hand on her back. "You alright?"

"Peachy," She grumbled back. "My legs resemble jello, but other than that, I'm great."

"Alright, Miss Sarcasm," Jasper shook his head with a smile, turning his back to her and crouched down. "I'll give you a piggy back ride to the mansion; it's starting to get dark."

Ren narrowed her eyes. "I _can_ walk, you know, I just need-" She stumbled on her jello legs, reaching out to grab onto Jasper. He bit his lip to hold in his laugh while she glared daggers at him. "Not a word, not even a word." She hissed, hopping onto his back.

"Wasn't going to say nothin'."

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

Stepping back to assess his work, Carlisle smiled encouragingly at the vampire. She stood in front of him with her arms crossed over her chest, an almost bored expression on her face. She looked slightly comical in the enormous noise cancelling headphones that Esme had purchased the evening before, as they were almost as big as her head. However, Carlisle had found out that while they would have been noise cancelling for everyone else, Bella could still hear him and Emmett talking to her while she wore them.

Luckily, Ren was spectacular at improvising and had tweaked things a little bit. She managed to get Bella to agree to stuffing ear plugs in her ears, and swapped out the regular headphones for music playing, outside-noise cancelling headphones. Now everyone else in the room could hear Evanescence blaring through them.

Carlisle turned to look back at Esme before his eyes flickered back to the vampire. "Can you hear me, Bella?" He asked with a slightly raised voice.

Golden eyes narrowed ever so slightly as Bella tried to read his lips. She shook her head, her shoulders lifting and falling in a shrug.

Since no one had ever worked with vampires before, Carlisle had to come up with… learning techniques on his own, rather than using tests that other people before him had used. During one of Bella's previous sessions, they had learnt that all of the vampire's senses were exponentially stronger than the average human's. So Carlisle had decided that they would test and see just _how_ much stronger they were, and the first they were testing was the girl's sense of smell.

He had asked everyone else to wear their pyjama shirts underneath their regular clothing all day, and at the beginning of Bella's session, he had gotten them to take those shirts off. He had, one way or another, blocked off Bella's other senses, other than feeling and tasting, by blocking out noise, and using a blind fold. For this test, he would give Bella someone's shirt and tell the others to find another room in the mansion to hide in, and relying only on their scent, Bella was to find them.

Carlisle fiddled with the blindfold in one hand, and a T shirt in the other. "Bella?" He waved to get her attention. "You will be finding Rosalie, okay?" He asked, pointing to the shirt and then to the blonde who rolled her eyes.

The vampire's head tilted to the side. "_Roz'lie_?" She asked, looking to said girl. The blonde scoffed at the pronunciation, refusing to admit that she maybe, _possibly_, found it almost cute.

The doctor nodded and then reached up to tie the blindfold. He waved his hands in front of the girl's face a few times before smiling and pushing the shirt into her hands. "Alright, you all go hide in other rooms. I'm going to stay back and follow Bella to watch her. I don't want her accidentally tripping down the stairs or something."

"So we can't go downstairs?" Jasper asked, curious.

Carlisle shook his head. "You can, but I want to be with her to help her down them if she decides to take them."

With a final sigh, Rosalie left the room to find a place to hide, feeling all too childish.

The vampire closed her hands around the shirt, feeling the soft material against her skin. She waited until Carlisle tapped her on her shoulder, and then slowly lifted the shirt to her face. She took a deep breath, her lungs filling with the lilies and sunshine scent that was uniquely Rosalie. Surprising, given the girl's ice-like attitude. She took another deep breath and then let the shirt fall to the ground, stepping forward a couple of steps.

Carlisle watched Bella tilt her face up, her nostrils flaring as she smelled the room. He frowned, noticing her jaw clench and hands ball up into fists. Perhaps… perhaps this wasn't the best test for a vampire. A vampire with bloodlust. Forcing her to concentrate solely on everyone's scent. Although, Emmett _did_ say she had good control, and that they'd be fine as long as they kept out of her personal bubble.

The doctor took a step to the side.

Feeling confident that she had the blonde's scent, Bella started walking forward to the entrance of the entertainment room, where they had all gathered. She stopped in the hallway, turning her head in either direction and sniffing the air again, before choosing left and following the hall down to the end. She paused, only briefly, at each door she came to, sniffing again before moving on.

The two made their way passed the classrooms, Carlisle glancing in each of them and smiling at Ren and Jasper sitting on their desks in one of the rooms. They finally reached one set of stairs, but Carlisle didn't have the chance to help Bella down, because she was down them and sniffing the air again before he could reach out for her. He chuckled lowly to himself, following the vampire passed the kitchen, where Edward was sitting, and to the final set of stairs leading to the basement/training room.

Again, the vampire had descended the stairs before Carlisle could aid her.

The basement room was rather large, taking up the entire below ground level with only the four walls. Carlisle saw that there were actually three people down there, in three of the corners, and raised an eyebrow when he noticed what they had done. They had all switched shirts. Rosalie was wearing Esme's shirt, Esme wore Alice's, and Alice wore Rosalie's shirt. He glanced between the three of them before curiously looking back to Bella.

The girl paused, frowning in confusion as two different scents mixed into the lilies and sunshine; fresh fallen rain, almost kind of pine-y, and the other… blue berries and chocolate.

Bella would never grow tired of discovering peoples' scents.

She furrowed her brows and took a deep breath, trying to separate all the scents, all the while coming to one conclusion. People had switched clothes. _"Non e giusto."_

Alice almost jumped as Bella's head turned, and she swore that under than blindfold, golden eyes were locked on her. She could _feel_ the stare. She fidgeted, looking over at Esme and then Rosalie, before looking to Carlisle and back to Bella. She was still staring. Alice slowly lifted the collar of Rosalie's shirt up, sniffing it slightly. She didn't know why she did it, but she felt like she should do _something_ with Bella just _staring_ at her. Why was she staring? For that matter, _how_ was she staring? How did she know Alice was _right_ there. The pixie nervously fiddled with the hem of her shirt.

The vampire waited patiently, feeling the heart behind that shirt start pumping harder and quicker, furiously pounding against its chest in anticipation. Her fangs tingled and throbbed, and she felt her eyes sting, knowing they were changing, but shook it off. Finally, a stronger, more concentrated scent made its way to her.

Blue berries and chocolate.

Alice sighed quietly when Bella finally turned away, and started stalking towards the other two.

Bella sniffed the air again, faint blue berries and chocolate mixed with fresh fallen rain and pine, and on her other side was faint fresh fallen rain and pine, mixed with lilies and sunshine. She zeroed in on the lilies and sunshine, taking direct, purposeful steps forwards towards it. Finally, she stopped, a few feet away.

"Haha!" Carlisle cheered, walking over and untied the blindfold. He paused, tilting his head slightly, taking in the slightly darker whites of Bella's eyes, watching as they slowly lightened again. "Bella… are you alright?" He asked.

The vampire stared at him blankly.

"Honey, the headphones." Esme said quietly.

"Oh! Right," Carlisle smiled sheepishly, reaching up and pulling off the headphones and ear plugs. "That was wonderful, Bella. Even with this little clothing obstacle, you were able to find Rosalie, without mistake!" He gushed.

He couldn't _wait_ to test the rest of her senses.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

"You wanna play a game?"

Rosalie looked up from her magazine and into the clear blue eyes of the giant standing on front of her. He had a hopeful look on his face, his grin charming in a little boy way, one hand running through his short dark hair while the other clutched a game controller. She pressed her lips into a firm line, her violet eyes flickering back down to her reading material. "No,"

The giant frowned, his massive shoulders slumping. He scratched the back of his neck, looking around the room at everyone. Jasper and Ren were on one of the computers, laughing at some youtube video. Edward was reading a book in another corner of the room, while Alice quietly watched some TV. Esme was sitting beside her, whether she was watching TV as well, or just sitting with them, Emmett didn't know. His eye's shifted back and forth from each couch, finding Bella sleeping soundly on one of them.

"Come on, you don't like video games?" He asked quietly, looking back to the blonde.

Sighing, Rosalie set her magazine down. "No, I don't. I'm not good at them."

"Well there you go! Let's play." He boomed out.

"Why?" She grumbled, glaring up at the giant. "Why would I willingly do something I'm bad at?"

Emmett shrugged again. "To get better, of course."

"No,"

A pout slowly formed on Emmett's face. "Please?"

"Go play with Jasper or something. I'm trying to read." Rosalie snapped, picking up her magazine again.

"But I wanna play with you." He insisted, shifting back and forth.

Her eyes narrowed. "I don't _want_ to play."

"Please?"

"No,"

"Come on…"

"I said, no. Go away."

_"Per favore?"_

Rosalie hesitated, her violet eyes looking back up at Emmett. He saw something flash behind them, and slowly a smile started stretching across his face. "…No."

_"Si prega di giocare con me?" _

Again, Rosalie's resolve wavered. "I… fine."

Emmett pumped a fist into the air, launching himself onto a couch in front of another one of the TVs while Rosalie slowly sat down beside him.

**XXxxXXxxXXxxXX**

**I'm glad y'all like this story as much as I do. It's different, I think, and I like different things. They're always… refreshing, you know?**

**Anyways, review and stuff. Got anything to comment on? Developments between characters, perhaps? That's basically all this chapter was, hehehe.**

**-Paige**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything familiar. This is also closely based on the book **_**Dark Visions**_** by **_**Lisa J Smith**_**, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well.**

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner.**

**Summary: "They said they could help up. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them..." Read and review.**

_The Cullen Mansion_

She'd had nightmares again.

It had been happening a lot lately; she would go to bed, close her eyes, and the world before her changed, transformed into an unforgiving nightmare, full of death and destruction, horror and despair. She would thrash around throughout the night and finally, just as the sun came up, she would wake, gasping and sweating with her heart hammering painfully in her chest.

Today was no different.

Ren sprang into a sitting position, clutching her chest as her heart pounded like a war drum in her ears, the back of her neck and forehead sticky with a cold sweat. She took a shuddering breath and looked over to the other side of the room where her brother slept peacefully. She took comfort in the slow rise and fall of his chest, every twitch of his eyebrows, or mumbled noises from his lips.

When she was confident the boogie man wouldn't grab her legs and drag her under the bed, she swung them around and shivered against the cold of the floor. Her mouth was exceedingly dry and she wasn't positive, but she thought she might have been chewing on her pillow again.

It was a habit of hers whenever she had sleeping issues.

The floor beneath her bare feet creaked and she paused, looking over her shoulder back at Edward and made sure he hadn't stirred before she slipped out the door to their room and into the dark hall. The mansion was nearly silent as everyone else slept in their beds, all but two others on the floor below. Curious as to why anyone else was up so early, Ren made her way down the stairs and onto the main floor.

Her ears picked up the sound of a shower across the mansion, but the light in the kitchen interested her more. She smiled, turning the corner and scanned the large room, looking for whoever was up for a early morning snack.

Almost immediately, she wished she hadn't.

Across the room, standing in front of the sink, stood Bella. The vampire's shoulders tensed as her golden eyes stared, unseeing, down at the sink and the now empty blood bag sitting in it. Her sensitive ears had picked up Renesmee's uneven and increased heartbeats while she slept, and now her nose took in the more potent scent of her blood, rushing to the surface of her flushed skin.

Her fangs throbbed at the spicy, mouth-wateringly delicious splash of something different in the blood, her chest rumbling with a hungry growl.

_Fear._

"Bella?" Ren asked as the girl stilled completely. "Are you – _okay!_" She squealed as she was shoved up against the wall next to the calendar. "Holy crap..." she breathed, watching as the whites of Bella's eyes darkened, veins spreading from her eyes. "That's so friggin' _cool_. Just like the Vampire-"

The brunette's pale hand gripped the younger girl's jaw, roughly turning her head to the side and exposing her neck.

"-Diaries," Ren uttered. She suddenly realized how _not_ cool this was, how dangerous it actually was. How she might very well die there that morning because a freaking _vampire_ was sniffing her neck. "Bella? Do you think maybe you can let me go now?"

She was met with a deep growl vibrating from the taller girl's chest.

Swallowing nervously, Ren slowly slid her hands up onto Bella's shoulders, getting a good grip and ready to shove her with all her strength, if need be. "When I said I wanted to see you vamp out, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

Where was that damn belt-wrist-buckle?

"Have I mentioned that I'm B Negative?" She made a face. "B Negative is like the broccoli of blood, just yucky. _I_, personally, think you should hold out for the good stuff." The hand on her jaw tightened and Ren's heart took off in fear again. "I have to do this, Bella!"

A loud slap rang out through the kitchen, Ren's hand throbbing in pain as she winced. She looked up into the bewildered face of Bella who was leaning back away from her again, like she just woke up from a dream. Those golden eyes blinked a few times, the whites brightening up again as the veins smoothed out. The brunette tilted her head to the side, trying to piece together what was happening, and gasped when she did. "I am sorry!" She said, yanking herself back away from Ren like the girl was on fire. "Please to forgive!"

The two heard the pads of feet pounding down the hallway before Emmett rounded the corner and ran into the kitchen. One hand held the knot of his towel around his waist while the other held the loofa from the shower, covered in suds, with his hair sticking up. "What..." he gasped in some air. "What is happening here?"

"Nothing!" Ren was quick to insist. "I just came down here to see who was up and stumbled upon Bella here. I was just asking her if she could grab me a bowl from the cupboard, I think I feel like some cereal."

Emmett's blue eyes narrowed and flickered back between the two. Ren's smile was a little too wide and cheerful, while Bella's shoulders were sagging, her face ducked to stare at her feet. Guilt. He pointed the loofa at the shorter girl. "You go grab the bowl yourself and leave me some Cap'n Crunch." He jerked the loofa over to Bella who flinched back from the suds flying around. "And you go upstairs and wait in the room for me. I need to rinse this soap off and then I'll help you into the belt."

"I could help her," Ren offered, turning to Bella.

Again, the vampire flinched back, stepping away from her while Emmett shook his head. "She needs some space. We'll come back down after, don't worry."

With a sigh, Ren watched the two head back up the stairs. Even though the girl could have quite possibly killed her just minutes ago, Ren had caught the haunted look in those golden eyes, and couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

**XXXXXXXXXXX**

No one was quite sure what had happened since the previous evening when they had all ventured back up to their rooms for the night, but the next morning, as everyone gathered around the table for breakfast, they knew something was up. Ren, for one, was quieter than usual. The girl was _always_ bouncing off the walls, excited about _this_, curious about _that_, and to watch her sit in her chair beside Edward, staring down at her eggs and pushing them around her plate, was just odd.

They had noticed that Emmett seemed a little more serious than usual as well, though he was much better at hiding it. The giant boy still made jokes here and there, albeit weaker ones that normal, and he'd smiled at Rosalie when she entered the room, but you could tell something was upsetting him. That led to everyone looking at Bella next to him, since she was the closest person in his life and vice versa.

She hadn't met anyone's eye today, though Esme and Jasper did keep catching those golden eyes flickering up to Ren every few moments. As far as they could deduce, something had happened between those three, and-

"What?" Edward looked up suddenly, towards Esme and Jasper at the other end of the table. His large eyebrows furrowed as he stared at them, slowly looking down to his twin. "Ren, is something wrong?"

Golden eyes flickered back up again.

The smaller girl shook her head, her bronze curls bouncing. "No, nothing's wrong. Just kinda tired this morning, is all. I'm still having those nightmares."

This time it was an ocean blue gaze that landed on her, Alice tilting her head to the side. Nightmares, she knew from experience, were never a good thing, whether they were hers or not. She knew enough about her own gift to recognize little fragments of it here and there; the blind man who hesitates before crossing the street, luckily missing that car who hadn't seen him. She knew that all people were psychic to a degree, even on the most basic, subconscious level.

Bad dreams were usually a sign of bad things coming. The subconscious mind knows something the conscious one doesn't, so it tries to warn you any way it can, and that usually comes through as a nightmare. Disturbing images and scenarios.

Edward turned his head, looking back over across the table towards Emmett. "No...that's not it. What happened this morning? Why do you both keep singing songs in your head?"

"Radio," Emmett supplied quickly. "The radio was on this morning and we heard catchy beat song. It's stuck in our heads now."

The younger boy clenched his fists, his shoulders stiff. Carlisle set down his toast, looking across the table to Esme who shrugged her shoulders with a worried look. "No," Edward ground out. "You're singing two different songs. What. Happened. This. Morning."

"I think we should all just calm down for a moment." Carlisle said, looking around the table. "Everyone take a breather, head up to your rooms."

This was on the path of getting out of control already. Jasper had one hand clenched as a slow, burning anger started bubbling up in him, knowing it wasn't his. He closed his eyes. Rosalie, on the other hand, seemed much more interested in what was happening than he was. She sipped at her tea, watching as the scrawny boy tried to intimidate the endearing giant; she hid her smirk behind the tea cup. Ren was tugging on Edward's shirt, shaking her head with wide eyes, while Alice tried to keep an eye on the scene, as well as the vampire who was, though getting better at it, struggling to keep up with what was going on.

"Nothing, Edward! Nothing happened!" Ren exclaimed, tugging more fiercely at his shirt. "Just sit down and drink your juice, please!"

Edward glared down at her. "Did he hurt you?"

"Doc is right, we need to step back for moment." Emmett said. "I never touched your sister and you need to calm down before you really mess with Jasper."

Those emerald eyes hardened. "I don't _care_ about Jasper, I care about what you did to my sister and-" he broke off with a gasp, whirling around to look back at Ren. "He was in a _towel_?!" Emmett froze, his eyes widening, already shaking his head. "Why were you _naked_ if nothing happened? I'm going to _kill_ you!"

The boy snarled before launching himself over the table, tackling the giant out of his chair. Jasper jerked out of his chair and ran out of the kitchen, up the stairs as he gripped his hair. The anger had turned into a rage he couldn't hold onto and he had to leave before he lashed out at someone as well.

Emmett, grabbing one fist that came flying at him, struggled to look around Edward, trying to meet those wide golden eyes staring down at them. "No!" The other fist found its way into his side, though not with nearly as much force as he expected. "I'm fine, Bellah!"

The others, who weren't too appalled/amused/distracted at the actual fight, all turned their gaze to the vampire with curious looks. She looked torn, her wide eyes flickered back and forth between Emmett and Edward, her own hands clenched into fists.

"Just playing around!" Emmett tried to laugh, grunting as Edward's knee caught him in the gut. "Stop it, Edward, now! Please!"

Alice hesitantly reached out, putting her hand on Bella's trembling shoulder. "Bella?" She asked softly. She opened her mouth to say something again but paused, chewing on her lip as she realized something weird. Why...the vampire wasn't trembling...she was vibrating...

The giant noticed, beyond Edward's shoulder, how still the vampire got. His heart leaped into his throat, and he quickly grabbed the front of Edward's shirt, jerking him close. "You need to _stop_ now," he growled quietly.

"How _dare_ you try and tell me-"

The rest of Edward's sentence was cut off with one of the most frightening noises he'd ever heard. A feral snarl exploded from Bella's chest and she was on her feet before anyone could blink, growling down at the boy with a dark glare. He gasped, flinging himself back onto the floor next to Emmett, with a pale face.

_This_ was truly the vampire Carlisle had insisted the girl was before. Those golden eyes glared down at him, different from what he was used to; the whites nearly black, veins framing them as her canines elongated, looking particularly sharp.

"No, Bellah, I am good!" Emmett exclaimed, sitting up and reaching out towards her. "Please, look at me. Bellah. No," he gasped as she stepped towards Edward who pushed himself backwards on the floor.

Alice jerked up out of her chair, wrapping her arms around the vampire's middle and holding tight. She knew it was probably useless; if this girl wanted Edward dead, Alice had a feeling the boy would die no matter what she did. She could never restrain Cynthia when they played, how did she expect to hold back a _vampire_.

She wasn't alone, though. Ren wasn't about to let her brother become vamp chow, and she also crawled over the table -kneeling in a bowl of fruit, _ew_- and landed on the other side. She wrapped her arms around Bella from the front, locking her hands against Alice's back, and held tight.

"No, _no! _Let go now!" Emmett nearly screamed, horrified. What were they doing? Why – they were going to get hurt! Did they not realize what they were doing?! She was a vampire; you don't..._touch_ them! And you certainly don't restrain them, not when they're angry! She was going to toss them around the room, or worse!

The vampire, however, was staring at the ground beside Edward's head. The snarl on her face had faded out to a blank look, her stiff body relaxing. She tried to focus, tried to pay attention and help Emmett -he was being attacked!- but...tingles...there were tingles, all up and down her back, dancing along her skin. She could feel them and a heart, beating quickly against her back.

She looked over her should, just barely able to meet a wide, blue gaze. She could see the fear in it, but beyond that, curiosity, wonder, and...something deeper. What was that? "Alice," she murmured quietly, her own brows furrowing in confusion. What were those tingles she was making?

Before she could dwell on it, there was a pinch in her neck and she turned back around to look into Carlisle's apologetic eyes. He pulled his hand back, with a needle he set down onto the table. "I'm sorry, Bella. You're just going to sleep for a little while, okay? Don't worry."

Bella blinked against the blurry world that was getting darker and darker. She swayed on her feet. "Emmett..." she slurred. "He is..." The rest of the sentence was more or less a gurgle of words as she faded out.

The giant in question got his feet in time to catch Bella, hooking his arms under her back and knees. He smiled sadly down at her before turning to Carlisle. "I will go put her in bed. How long do you think this will last?"

He shook his head. "The junk DNA in her cells are already chewing through the serum. She'll be awake and fine in maybe five minutes. Just go set her on the couch." He turned towards Edward as the two left, the boy looking away in shame. "Edward, I am disappointed. You cannot go around _attacking_ the others."

"He hurt Ren!" Edward cried, roughly getting to his feet to glare. "I will not just sit back and let him get away with it."

"He didn't hurt me, you big doof!" Renesmee huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I told you that already."

"Then why was he naked and why were you upset?" Edward growled, scowling at the hallway the other two left through.

His twin sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It was _my _fault, Edward. I came down here for something to drink this morning when I woke up early. I didn't know that's when Bella...feeds. She was all vamped out on blood and I came in, willy nilly, and got so excited over her face that I practically jumped her."

"..._She_ attacked you?"

"No! Not...not really. She snapped out of it before she could hurt me." Ren said, staring at her feet. "And then Emmett came rushing in from his shower, in a towel."

"Oh..."

Rosalie snorted, shaking her head as she continued to eat her breakfast. "Sure, you're willing to go all Fight Club when it's a human threatening your sister, but when it turns out to be the vampire, suddenly you're a lot more understanding?" She glanced around at the others. "Anyone else smell coward?"

The boy scowled over at Rosalie. "Of course I'm not going to get into a physical altercation with that...that _thing_."

"Don't call her that!" Alice huffed, glaring up at Edward. "It wasn't her fault."

"No, it was his!" Edward growled, pointing at Carlisle whose eyes widened. "What made you think it would be a good idea to house a vampire with humans? Are you out of your mind? Look what happened, this could have been avoided if you'd just let that leech rot in prison. She was there for a _reason_."

"I want to work with her, help her fight these instincts, Edward. Shouldn't everyone be given the choice? I-"

"No," Edward cut in. "You can't fight nature. Birds fly, fish swim, and vampires kill. To assume otherwise, or to try and change that, is foolish. The only thing you can do for her is lock her up before she hurts someone else."

"That's enough." Esme said, getting to her feet. "Alice, Rosalie, you may leave, as can you, Ren." The three looked at one another, then Edward, and back to Esme before they left. "Edward Masen, you should be ashamed of yourself. Do you hear the things you are saying? You're condemning this poor girl you don't even know, one who has spent her entire life fighting herself to protect perfect strangers from her darker side. You ignore the fact that she stopped before hurting your sister, choosing instead to focus on how she had a natural reaction."

"But..."

"No, Edward. I don't understand how you can see in black and white. You _know_ the world is full of grey, better than most people. You assume she's hurt, or even killed, someone before to be put in prison, just as others assume you're just stuck up. You're over protective of your sister the way a parent should be because you've had to raise bother her and yourself since a very young age, having such a withdrawn father and an ill mother all your life. People don't know your situation and can't understand you, and _you_ don't know _Bella's_ situation, but _refuse_ to understand her." Esme sighed, shaking her head. "You need to give her a chance; you've been on her case since she got here."

His shoulders slumped as he looked at the ground. "I can't, Esme. She's a vampire under the same roof as my sister. I _have_ to protect Ren, it's in my blood. I won't stop now... I can't."

"Harder than it looks to fight one's nature, isn't it?" Esme asked.

With a groan, Edward collapsed onto a chair, holding his head in his hands. "Why _did_ they lock her up?" He asked. If he was going to try and give this vampire a chance, he needed to know more about her.

Carlisle frowned, resting his hand on the boy's shoulder. "The same reason you want to; because she _could_ be dangerous."

**xxxxxxxxxx**

"You have anger with me now?"

The younger girl had just finished sitting down, balancing a bowl of soup on her lap and a cushion, having decided to come sit next to the vampire. Bella wouldn't go back into the kitchen again, not after what had happened at breakfast, and Ren couldn't help but feel like it was her fault.

So she grabbed her soup, grabbed a spoon, told Edward to chill out or she wouldn't talk to him for a week, and left to find Bella upstairs in the entertainment room. She had also managed to persuade Emmett to stay downstairs and eat, with threats of filling his head with ponies and princesses for a month.

She had found the vampire sitting on the couch, staring at the blank TV, like a lump on the couch. "No, I'm not angry at you. I'm sorry I got you in all this trouble."

"Is not anything that hasn't been earned," the vampire muttered, closing her eyes. She had attacked Ren. Sweet, innocent little Ren.

The girl turned to Bella, frowning. "Hey now, I've already got a broody twin. I don't need a brooding friend, too."

"We are friends?" Bella asked, her eyes flickering to the side to peer up at Renesmee curiously. After everything that had happened, this girl still wanted friendship from her?

With a grin and a nod, Ren nudged Bella's shoulder with her own. "Of course we are. All of us. Even Rosalie, as much as she hates to admit it. Friendship is trust. Respect. Being comfortable with one another. Enjoying one's company. And I'll tell you right now, there is no one else in the world that fits all of those, than you guys here."

The brunette shook her head. "How can you trust me after everything I've did?"

"Done," Ren snickered. The vampire's brows furrowed and the younger girl shook her head with a laugh, her soup long forgotten. "Because you didn't _mean_ to do that, Bella. It was bad timing. Bad luck. That's beyond your control. The only thing you're guilty of is not telling us you feed in the mornings and in the kitchen." She paused. "And even then, you can't be blamed. I don't think you know _how_ to tell us. Those be some complicated words beyond your understanding, methinks."

"I...do not understand." Bella said, confused again. Why wouldn't these people just speak Italian?

With another smile and chuckle, Ren patted Bella's hand. "I'm saying I trust you because you're a good person. I can see it in your eyes. You're worthy of being trusted, okay? It doesn't matter what my brother says. He can't see anything past his narrow mind."

"If I am worth trust, then why am I locked to this?" Bella asked.

Ren could do nothing but stare down at the belt, grasping for words she didn't have.

**Xxxxxxxxx**

A floor below those two, sat Edward and Alice, who had been writing another letter to her sister when the bronze haired boy wandered into the classroom. She didn't really think much of it at the time, content to just sit on her desk and writer her letter while she watched him walk over to the chalk board.

He sighed, shaking his head as his shoulders sagged. This day was...never ending. Each second felt like an hour and he just wanted it done already, wanted to go lay down, close his eyes, and have everything sort itself out while he slept. It was a ridiculous idea, or more importantly it was an irresponsible one, and yet he couldn't help but toss it around in his head, over and over.

Edward also wasn't sure why he had sought out the smaller girl. Carlisle had been busy all morning calling the teachers and telling them not to come in to class, and was now up in his study doing...something. Esme was starting to prepare dinner, and he just really didn't want to see that disappointed look in her eyes again. Jasper was avoiding him, lest the empath suffer his emotions again. Ren was mad at him and until she told him, they wouldn't be speaking for a while. Bella had attacked him, or would have. Emmett _he_ had attacked. And Rosalie...well he just didn't feel like talking to someone who had called him a coward just a few hours ago.

She hadn't been wrong and they both knew that. He didn't feel like hearing it again in her head.

That left Alice and now he found himself doodling on the chalkboard with his back to the girl, struggling to find something to break the silence.

"Are you mad at me as well?" He asked suddenly, curious to know if she was.

"No one is mad at you, Edward." She pursed her lips, her blue eyes flickering off to the side in thought. "Maybe Emmett but you _did_ try to hit him."

"I get it," he snapped, running his free hand through his hair while he put down the chalk. "Are you _disappointed_ with me, as well?"

Alice's delicate shoulders rose and fell as she scribbled away at her letter. "I don't know that's the right word for what I feel. I think you should apologize to Emmett, though, and I think you should treat Bella better."

"She's a _vampire_!" He cried, pointing an accusing finger towards the door, as if the girl were there with them.

Again, blue eyes glanced up at him and then the door. "I noticed."

"I don't think you have, I don't think _anyone_ has. She _eats_ people, and my sister was alone with her this morning. She could have died. I could be alone right now, Alice, and no one seems to get that."

"You're beating a dead horse, Edward. She _could_ have died, you _could_ be alone. Could. But you're not, she's not. You can't freak out over every little thing that _might_ happen, that _could_ happen, and focus on what _does_." Alice said, setting her letter down to give Edward a hard look. "You need to be more understanding, because you see where having such a narrow mind gets you? You're _alone_ right now. The only friend in the house you have is your _twin_ and she won't even talk to you now."

His green eyes narrowed, jaw clenching. How many times were _other_ people going to be right today? When was he going to get a turn?

"But this isn't anything you haven't already been told, so I doubt you'll listen just because I say it." Alice said, hopping off her desk. She turned and grabbed the letter to Cynthia, folding it over once and stuffing it in her back pocket while she gathered her pens.

She looked up into Edward's stricken eyes as she passed him, seeing the inner turmoil as he stood there, his hands clenched into fists in his pockets. She reached up to the door of the classroom just as he finally spoke. "I saw something." Alice paused, looking to the side and waiting for him to continue, his voice slow and...scared? "When I was on the floor, after she growled at me. Those eyes, there was...something in them. I think maybe she's less human that Carlisle knows."

Alice shivered, that uneasy feeling from before returning and churning her gut.

"Then I guess you shouldn't make a habit of attacking her friend."

**XXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXX**

**Apologies for mistakes. Unbeta'd. **

**An update at last! How long has it been for **_**this**_** story, eh?**

**You guys get a peek at just what kind of vampire Bella really is. None of that sparkling marble body stuff. I've gotten into Vampire Diaries a little while ago and I actually thought that whole eye thing of there's is pretty cool, so I thought I'd run with it. Got a little look into Eddie Boy's head, too, some reasoning as to why he's got a stick up his ass. Bella and Ren's relationship strengthens, despite the attack, and Ed and Alice's…well, it's not actually a friendship but it's the closest thing Edward has to one with someone other than his twin.**

**Reviewwwww please!**

**-Paige.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or anything familiar. This is also closely based on the book Dark Visions by Lisa J Smith, so I might as well throw that disclaimer in here as well.**

**Rated: T.**

**Author: Paige Turner.**

**Summary: "They said they could help up. Teach us how to control it. They promised it would make our lives easier. How wrong we were to believe them..." Read and review.**

_The Cullen Mansion_

Sweat dripped down the side of his face, his muscles burning while his heart pounded inside his chest furiously. He took a deep breath, wiping his taped hands across his face before shaking his head, rolling his shoulders to try and loosen some muscles. His fists shot out, one after the other, over and over in a quick and powerful succession. Each landed a hit in the same place on the punching bag, the hard material giving slightly under the pressure.

Jasper shook his head again, bouncing around in front of the punching bag in the basement, his moves lightning quick. His golden curly locks hung down in his dark eyes, his sharp jaw clenched with his lips pressed together in a firm line. His cheeks were getting red while his tank top clung to a muscled chest with sweat, the boy's vigorous workout taking its toll, making him burn.

Across the room Ren sighed shakily, grabbing her stomach as the butterflies fluttered around. She quickly looked away from her friend, upping the speed on her treadmill next to Alice's. Her bronze locks bounced back and forth in the high pony tail, tickling her neck with every brush, each stride of hers timed with the blaring music running through the room. Her green and brown eyes flickered down to the water bottle in its stand on the machine, the water rippling out and bouncing back. If she concentrated on that then maybe… her gaze wandered back up to Jasper who caught her eye for a moment, smiled, and got back to his punching bag.

She cursed under her breath, upping the speed a little more.

Beside her Alice was taking a leisurely jog, wondering why the younger girl was full out sprinting on her own machine. She had to admit, though, if Ren ever decided to take off, she didn't think any of them could stop her. The girl was _fast_. Were vampires fast? Alice hummed to herself, her mind filling with images of golden eyes staring at her. She'd noticed over the past week, since the whole breakfast incident, that Bella…stared at her a lot. Or maybe studied? Ever since Alice touched her, restrained her, those golden eyes were most commonly on the little pixie. Alice couldn't quite dissect the look in them, wasn't sure she wanted to. She wrote to Cynthia about it, but so far hadn't heard back for quite a while.

The pixie was contemplating talking to Ren about it.

Edward watched Alice's brows furrow as she jogged, and had to pinch himself so he wouldn't listen in. It was easier to ignore the thoughts of everyone else with music blaring in the room with them, filling his head, drowning them all out. He considered getting an ipod for such use whenever he wasn't working out. Not that he was exactly working out yet, just stretching out next to Rosalie on the mats. He hadn't felt like beating on a leather bag all afternoon like Jasper was doing, because punching was not exercising. It was…barbaric. He also hadn't been able to interact with Emmett since last week, his guilt weighing too heavily on his shoulders.

Especially since the giant was all smiles and grins, forgiving him right off that bat. The guy was too nice.

And maybe because anyone working out next to Emmett looked just plain pathetic.

So he joined Rosalie on the mats, who was in some kind of complicated yoga pose. The limber young woman gave him a glare, told him to keep his eyes to himself, and continued on with her own workout. It was fairly obvious she was more than a little distracted with the large burly guy doing onehanded pushups across the room without a shirt on, and so Edward found himself watching Alice while he stretched.

Hers was the only company he enjoyed, other than Ren's, around the mansion. Edward found himself constantly seeking her out for a word, help in math -not that he needed it- or to just sit with during their meals. She hadn't told him to scram yet, but she was also frustratingly indifferent about his presence. Didn't get excited, didn't get annoyed. He might as well have been another wall.

Emmett pushed up, getting to his feet. He stretched his large arms over his head, twisting his back, and rolled his shoulders before looking up at his friend. He glanced at the clock on the wall and turned to the stairs just in time to see Esme and Carlisle come into the large basement. "They're here, Bellah." He said, running a hand through his sweaty hair.

Above him, with her legs hooked over a lower hanging bar from the ceiling, Bella uncurled from a crunch, stretching her body back out to hang down. Her golden eyes adjusted to the upside down view, level with Emmett's muscular shoulder as she tilted her head to the side. "For the strength test, yes?"

"Yup," Emmett nodded as the two greeted them. He grinned brightly at Esme who always smelled like cookies for some reason, even given the unfortunate lack of baking she did.

Carlisle smiled at the two, bringing out his notebook, ready to work. Esme rolled her eyes beside them, smiling at her husband's social faux pas. "So, I know you said that Bella possesses a strength that trumps most girls her size and age, and I'd like to get a better idea of just where it is at. Esme suggested the bench press here, and we keep adding as much weight as she can take. Is that okay with both of you?"

The giant stared down at Carlisle for a good second in silence before booming out a laugh that was heard even above the music. The other kids in the room all glanced up, curious about what was going on. "I think that might be, what is it called…watered down, Doc. Bellah's strength trumps _everyone's_. You will see. Bellah," he called, nodding towards the bench.

Dropping from the high bar, the agile brunette landed nearly soundlessly on her feet. "_Ezme_," the girl nodded with a small smile, receiving a warmer one in return from the motherly woman. She turned to Carlisle, her smile still a little guarded around the lab coat. "Doctor." They still couldn't get out of her why she was so uncomfortable around Carlisle. And it wasn't even uncomfortable, just…uneasy. Nervous.

"Good afternoon, Bella." Carlisle smiled anyways, gesturing to the bench. "I was thinking we would start at one hundred pounds, does that sound good?"

She laid back on the bench, reaching up to grip the silver bar. Her golden eyes watched Emmett start picking up some weights, adding them to the bar. He bobbed his head to the music, sometimes singing under his breath as he moved around her until he finally stood back, grinning dopely at the other two. Esme's kind eyes bulged as she added up the weight. "You're giving her four hundred pounds _to start_?!"

He rubbed his hands together with a shrug. "I didn't want to worry you guys, make you think I work her too hard. We'll build up to the bigger stuff."

"I don't think this is a good idea, honey." Esme said to Bella, crouching down to eye level. "Do you want to start with something smaller?"

To demonstrate how fine she was, Bella pushed up. The bar and weights lifted as if it were a limbo stick and not a weight set. She held it above her with a neutral face, watching the other three. "Is fine."

Jasper's hands slowly lowered to his side as he whistled. "That must be nice," he chuckled under his breath, leaving the punching bag to join them. Rosalie and Edward got to their feet, lingering back but their eyes trained on the scene in front of them.

Alice and Ren exchanged looks before they both hopped off their machines to stand next to the others. "This doesn't seem very safe," Alice murmured.

"Remarkable." Carlisle started scribbling away in his notebook. Emmett took that as his cue to start adding more weight. He flexed his biceps as he picked up the next weight, his blue eyes raising up to meet a pair of violet ones that quickly looked away. He grinned at Rosalie while she just huffed, crossing her arms over her chest like she was unimpressed. He looked away before he could see the small smile pulling at her lips that she was unable to smother.

Pound after pound, Bella only ever wiggled her fingers a little as they got stiff from being in the same position so long. Five hundred to seven hundred she didn't even blink, at eight hundred, she pressed the bar a few times to get the blood pumping through her arms again, and only when they finally reached nine hundred did Emmett pause before going to get more. He kept his hands over the bar, staring down at Bella seriously for a moment.

"I've never given her more than nine hundred pounds." He said, looking up to the others.

The blonde doctor hummed to himself, walking around the bench. He studied the girl holding nine hundred pounds above her; her knuckles were starting to go white, probably more from trying to keep balance than holding it up, her biceps and triceps flexing, but not strained or trembling. Her chest was steadily rising and falling, no quiver or sharp gasps, her jaw still. But not clenched. "Can you press this a few times for me, Bella, or is it too heavy?"

Instead of replying again, the vampire lowered the bar down to her chest smoothly before slowly pushing it back up and repeating the process a few times.

Again, the doctor hummed to himself. "Emmett, how much can you press?"

"Um, about two fifty to three hundred. Heavy, but definitely doable." The giant said, flashing another grin at Rosalie.

"Yes," Carlisle nodded. "I believe nine hundred pounds is the equivalent for Bella. Add another hundred, if you will."

"Carlisle," Esme reprimanded. "He said he's never given her any higher. This could hurt her."

"I don't believe it will."

Emmett moved silently, adding one hundred more pounds. He continued adding just fifty at a time after that, pausing between each one to get a nod from Bella and then Carlisle before adding more. Only at one thousand, two hundred, and fifty pounds did Bella finally show signs of strain. Her jaw clenched as the bar lowered down shakily without her permission, her muscles flexing to catch it before her chest was crushed.

The giant gasped, grabbing the bar and pulling with all his might. He cursed in Italian when his fingers slid from the bar, unable to make it even budge, and looked up in alarm. Carlisle and Jasper were already moving to help when the bar shot back up again, steady as a rock. Ren shifted beside Alice, uncomfortable when she saw what everyone deemed The Vampire Side of Bella, the whites of her eyes dark, with veins branching out, her fangs elongated and sharp.

"That's enough now," Emmett decided, guiding the bar back into its place. He helped Bella to her feet, buckling her wrists into the belt quickly before stepping back, patting her on the shoulder. "Good job, Bellah."

The girl in question nodded her head, focusing on the music, each beat resonating in her head, letting it drown out the blood she could hear pumping through her dearest friend's body. She took a deep breath, feeling her face smooth out again before opening her eyes.

Carlisle smiled brightly, walking around the bench to congratulate Bella. "That was very impressive, Bella! You're nearly four times as strong as the slightly better than average human. And that's without 'vamping out' it appears."

"Well, you must have built up quite the appetite lifting so much weight, Bella. I was thinking we'd order Chinese for dinner tonight, is that good with everyone else?" Esme asked, looking around at all the others.

Chinese was a popular vote as the kids all quickly and eagerly agreed, leaving to go wash up and get ready for supper.

**.**

**.**

**.**

The mansion was relatively quiet that night as everyone slumbered in their rooms. There was only one occupant of the mansion who was having trouble sleeping, tossing and turning as she slept. Alice turned over in her bed, her face scrunched up in fear as she buried her head under her pillow.

Images blurred behind her closed eyelids, too fast and jumbled for her to make sense. A dull throb was beginning to form in her head while she tried to focus, tried to slow them down and sort them out. They flickered from black and white to colour and back, speeding up and slowing down.

She tossed onto her other side, her hand reaching up to pull at her hair.

There was a street, cold and wet. A light was flickering. A building's window was glowing brightly, making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

Alice growled to herself, laying flat on her back. She knew she was awake now, she was pretty sure her eyes were open, but the images wouldn't stop. Her heart skipped a beat as realization sunk in, finding it suddenly hard to breathe.

She was…she was stuck. She tried blinking her eyes, covering her face with her hands, and even sitting up but they were still there, playing before her.

Speeding up again, blurring together. Rewinding and fast forwarding like a twisted movie.

"Ros-" She choked on a sob. What if she couldn't get out? Why if she was stuck forever? "Rosalie!" She cried, feeling around her bed for the edge.

The building's glowing window blinded her, the X rated videos on display inside. A porn shop? Really? She would forever be stuck with a porn shop?

Rosalie awoke that night by whimpering coming from the other side of the room. She was getting used to it, it happened every single night and broke her heart a little bit each time. Poor Alice. But this time was different. This time it was more clear, precise, quiet sobbing. She heard the pixie gasp out her name and quickly sat up, rubbing her eyes.

The blonde turned on the lamp in their room, rushing over to Alice sitting in her bed. Those blue eyes were unfocused, flickering back and forth, as if she were watching something. "Alice? Alice, what's wrong?"

"Please," the girl cried. Rosalie sat down on the bed with her, chewing on her lip, ready to do whatever she needed. "Please take anything you want, take my phone! I don't carry cash!"

Violet eyes scrunched up, Rosalie's brows furrowing. That was…weird. The most random thing to say _ever_ and it sounded…wrong. Alice's voice…but not. There was a whispered echo to her words, Rosalie swore there was, but that couldn't be. Her mind had to be playing tricks on her, she couldn't have heard that.

And yet, stranger things had happened in this mansion.

"What kind of man doesn't carry cash?" Alice's voice was hard, threatening.

Rosalie shook her head, focusing back on the smaller girl who was now in her arms. "Alice, wake up. Please, wake up!"

The pixie shuddered, clinging desperately to Rosalie, trembling in her arms. "You know you're going to die here tonight."

"Alice!" The blonde started shaking her.

"Please!" Alice sobbed harder, shaking her head. "I'm graduating, I've got family, friends, please don't-" She gasped, jerking up out of Rosalie's arms, her hands gripping her stomach. She coughed and choked, curling in on herself while she cried softly.

"Alice…?" Rosalie asked after a moment of silence, listening to Alice sniffle.

She didn't think she would be getting a reply but finally Alice's blue eyes opened again, puffy and red from crying, but focusing on her face. "I'm sorry," she cried softly. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Alice. Are you alright?" The blonde asked gently, gingerly brushing black locks from the girl's face. "Do you want me to go get Esme?"

"No!" Alice shot up again, grabbing Rosalie's arm. "No, don't tell anyone! Please. That's…that's never happened before. It was just a fluke or something. Please, just don't tell anyone."

Rosalie pursed her lips. "This is what Carlisle and Esme are here for, Alice. They're supposed to help us with this. They can help you with what just happened. It's their job. That was scary just to watch, you need to talk to someone about it."

"No!" Alice hissed, her eyes narrowing into a glare. "Just keep it to yourself, okay? I'll talk to them about what I want."

Forming her own glare, Rosalie stood up from the bed. "Wow. I was just trying to help you. Next time I won't even bother."

"Good, I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help. I can deal with this by myself," Alice growled. "Everyone needs to stay out of my business."

"Whatever, stop talking to me. I was trying to _sleep_ before your crazy ass woke me up." Rosalie roughly turned the lamp off, bathing the two in blackness again. She whipped her blankets back and slid into bed again, furiously turning on her side to face the wall instead of Alice. She was trying to help. Reaching out to comfort Alice in her time of weakness. Exposing herself, putting herself out there. She never did that before. Showed her softer side, only for Alice to throw it all back in her face. Whatever. Now she knew better. People don't want compassion. They want privacy, just like she thought.

If Alice wanted privacy, then the blonde wouldn't even look at her again!

Across the room, Alice flipped over onto her side away from the blonde as well. She tucked the blankets up over her shoulder, glaring at the wall in front of her. She waited, numb and cold, until she could hear Rosalie drift back off, breathing deeply. She blinked her blue eyes, tears falling from them to soak the pillow beneath her head. She sniffed a few times, biting her lip to keep from making noise again.

More secrets and anger. Rosalie was mad at her now. Her roommate hated her. She was more alone than ever.

She took a shuddering breath, pressing her forehead against the wall in front of her, clenching her jaw as a sob tried to force its way out. Rosalie wanted to help. They all did. Until they realized just how bad it was, just how dark and hopeless. How crazy it was.

How crazy she must be.

She had to be, to see those things.

And then they didn't want to help anymore, they wanted to drug her. Lock her up. Tell her she was broken, unfixable. Stuff her in a small dark room and forget about her, leave her to rot.

No, it was better that they not try and help.

She wouldn't go back to the asylum.

Never again.

**.**

**.**

**.**

On the other side of the wall, Bella was laying on her side facing the wall as well. She listened through it to Alice's soft crying, every sniff and small hiccup, every heart beat and shaky breath. She slid her pale hand across the bed and up onto the wall, closing her eyes to try and will Alice to feel better.

She waited and listened, and didn't lower her hand again until she was certain the girl was asleep once more.

**.**

**.**

**.**

"What do I think the author is trying to portray?" Ren read aloud to Jasper who was sitting on the couch in the entertainment room with her. The others were all doing their own things, Rosalie was showering, Bella was up in her room sleeping, Emmett was playing video games on one of the big screens while Edward badgered Carlisle about this and that. Alice was on a laptop writing or talking to Cynthia, while Esme was down making dinner.

Ren herself was still trying to work through her homework assignment from their English class. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair, glaring at the paper on her lap. "Um, exactly what they wrote? What do she mean portray? Are we supposed to be looking for morals of the story and stuff? Meaning behind the words? God, I'm going to fail! What did you put?"

The blonde boy laughed to himself, shaking his head. "Your brother would kill me if I let you cheat off my stuff."

"What a spoilsport!"

He laughed again, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "So, is he your older brother?"

"Eddie? Ha, no! He's my twin, I'm actually older by three minutes." She squinted her eyes up at Jasper who smiled and she quickly looked away again. "He treats me like a little sister though, I've noticed it. Mom used to call him an old soul, mostly because he'd fit in better back in, like, the eighteen hundreds. He's a gentleman to a fault, thinking it's his obligation to take care of every single female he comes across. Especially me. When mom got sick, he stepped up to fill the parent roll. Dad was always distant and after that, he practically lived at the office. I don't think he liked how weird we are." She chewed on her lip, shaking her head. "Anyways, Ed and I were only eight but he started helping me get ready for school, making me breakfast and dinner, just doing everything a parent should. It didn't help that I let him. It was easier than dealing with it all myself."

"Hey, you were just a kid. A kid's life _should_ be easy. Your dad should have been there for you." Jasper said, resting his hand on hers.

She shrugged her shoulders. "True, but I took advantage of him. I know that, I admit to it. Edward has had it worse because I was and am too lazy to take control of my own life. It's my personality, who I am. But maybe it's not all my fault completely, I think my ability makes it harder." Ren gestured around with her hands, a slightly frustrated look on her face. "I'm so selfish -don't give me that look, I am and I know it, Jasper- because if I focus on anyone but myself for too long, I mess with their heads. I can't help it. Eddie's always got someone else's mind in his head, but I'm kind of the opposite. I'll get into everyone else's head."

"You're getting better at controlling it though." Jasper said. He gave her an encouraging smile, pretending he couldn't feel wave after wave of guilt, frustration, and a tad self loathing coming from her. "It's going to get better."

Ren sighed deeply, smiling sadly. She looked up at him, feeling the slight sting of tears in her eyes as she thought of her brother and how much of a…douche he became. "I'm scared it's too late, Jas."

**.**

**.**

**.**

"Smile like you mean it, Rose!" Emmett crooned, sticking the camera in her face.

The blonde swatted the thing away from her as she walked down the hallway with her books in her arms. "Get that away from me. What are you even doing with it?"

"Documenting our lives," Emmett pouted down at the camera. "Like a home movie or something, you know? We can look back on it once your guys' program is complete, so you can see where you were when you started. And when we're all old and grey, we can look back at it and admire how pretty we once were."

Violet eyes rolled. "Mature."

"Come on," the giant grinned. "It's fun! What do you want to say to your future self?"

Rosalie pushed open the door to the entertainment room where everyone else was chilling out after supper. She nodded at Jasper who gave her a little smile when he looked up from the TV, and sat down next to Ren on a couch. The girl was still struggling with her English assignment from the day before. "I'm not interested in your childish games, Emmett. Leave me alone."

"Someone's grouchy." He paused for a moment until a light bulb went off. "What's wrong, Rosie? Today's problem will seem so small in the future! Future Rosalie could give you some advice."

She sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of her nose. "That's not how it works. If anything I could only give the future me advice."

"You got any?"

Her jaw clenched. "Just give me the camera, you giant doof."

"Wha-no. I'm playing with it first." Emmett said, stepping back.

A smirk pulled at Rosalie's lips while she gazed up at Emmett. He pouted again, tightening his grip on the camera and shook his head. "Give me the camera, Emmett."

"Sure, okay!" He handed it over quickly, happily in fact. Until he blinked his eyes a few time, looked down at the camera in her hands, and frowned deeply. "Hey, that's cheating!"

She smiled up at him innocently. "What? I just asked for the camera."

"No, you-" He slowly started to grin. "You're sneaky. I'm gonna have to keep my eye on you."

Rosalie scoffed. "Like you weren't already."

"Very true," the brunette wiggled his eyebrows suggestively until Rosalie threw a couch cushion at him.

**.**

**.**

**.**

**A shorter chapter than the last one, but I wanted to post this tonight. Otherwise you would have had to wait until next sunday, maybe longer. At least it's something, right? Not TOO short, either. **

**More character development! I'm trying to work on slowing things down in my stories and not just jumping into the action and plot right away. Harder than it looks. We get to see each relationship between them develop and strengthen, or weaken. A little more insight into some of their gifts.**

**Review please.**

**-Paige.**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER FIVE**

_The Cullen Mansion_

She felt the vampire's presence before she looked up to see who it was that read over her shoulder. Alice was used to spending their free lunch hour alone, well, usually at least. Sometimes Edward wouldn't leave her alone until she spoke with him for a little while, and for a second she almost groaned at the possibility it was him again. It wasn't that she didn't like the boy, he was very kind and polite to her. But he…pried a lot. Usually with his gift, and it was tiresome for her to sing songs in her head whenever they hung out just to keep her thoughts private. Sometimes, though, he just wouldn't stop asking questions and it annoyed her. Made her uncomfortable.

Perhaps if she wasn't so used to hiding absolutely everything about her from people, she wouldn't have such a hard time with his innocent questions. Everything felt like an interrogation. The other afternoon he asked what her favourite movie was and she froze, unable to utter a word until he just went on and told her his. To be fair, though, back in the asylum they picked apart simple questions and answers like that every second of the day.

If she liked a movie with action in it, she had a violent mind. If she flipped the channel on the TV to a romantic comedy, she was a sex deviant. Even sci-fi was a no-no. Schizophrenic undertones, or some nonsense.

Feeling self-conscious again, Alice's shoulders stiffened and she turned over her paper on the table, laying her arms on it. She blew the black spikes of her hair out of her eyes and glanced up at her visitor, her posture relaxing a little when she met a curious golden gaze. The pixie was actually a little surprised to find Bella awake, let alone sitting in the corner of the room with her. Everyone had offhandedly noticed that she usually napped during the lunch hour and was rather…sluggish when the sun was up.

Still, she flashed a smile at the girl and sat back in her chair. "Hello, Bella."

"Alice," the vampire replied slowly. Carefully. Bella seemed determined to pronounce the pixie's name correctly. "What do you…you…um," she made a writing gesture with her hand, a tiny pout playing at her lips. "Put…put on paper? What do you-"

"What am I writing?" Alice offered helpfully, biting her lip to stop the grin threatening to take over her face. The vampire was getting much better at English, she didn't need Emmett to translate half as much as she used to, but it was still choppy at best.

Bella frowned, making the gesture again. "_Writing_?" she repeated and Alice nodded. "What do you writing, Alice?"

"A letter," she chuckled, shaking her head. "I'm writing a letter to my sister. Again. Seems like all I do, I bet."

The vampire nodded thoughtfully. "Much to tell."

Alice looked back down at the paper under her hands, full to the brim with an update of everything that had happened just that day. "Oh yeah, _very_ much to tell."

"Is not scared you live with _vampiro_ now?" Her eyes flickered off to the side, then down to the table, and back up to Alice's.

Shaking her head, Alice fiddled with the corner of the paper. "My sister's kinda like Ren, actually. She thinks it's pretty cool." She felt like reaching out to take Bella's hand, reassure the girl with not only her words. "Besides, there's no reason to be scared. I trust you."

"Her name?" Bella asked, changing the subject. She looked at the letter again but it was still flipped over. She doubted that she'd be able to pick out the name from all the gibberish anyways. Reading English was even harder than trying to speak it.

Alice beamed, eager for any chance to talk about her sister. She missed the little rugrat like crazy. "Her name is Cynthia. She's two years younger than me."

"_Zynthia_," her name rolled off Bella's tongue in that thick accent like chocolate. Everyone's name did, really, and most words actually. Alice wished the vampire spoke more often than she did. She could only image what it'd be like whispered into her ear, Bella's amazing scent filling her up, the- "Not like us? She's…she's no the different?"

Her brows furrowed as she tried to dissect the sentence. "No, she's not like us. She's normal." Thank god. If Alice had to deal with someone else's…_gift _along with her own, she'd go crazy. Real crazy, like Benjamin from the fourth floor back in the asylum. "Do you have any sisters?"

"One older," Bella nodded, smiling fondly.

Alice smiled. "You shoulder write her a letter too, tell her about your life here."

"She knows." At Alice's confused smile, Bella bit her lip, trying to think of the word as she gestured up. "Watches me in _cielo_."

Electric blue eyes widened and Alice spluttered over herself, reaching out to touch Bella's arm. "I'm so sorry, Bella! I-I didn't know, I-"

"Is fine!" The vampire was quick to be the one reassuring her now. She nodded furiously, with a small warm smile. "She had long life, much years. Friends. Family. Grandkids. Fell asleep, didn't leave dream again."

Grandkids? "Wait," Alice shook her head, her forehead creasing in confusion. "How old are you?"

Another little pout formed on Bella's face as she started counting in English. There were twenties, thirties…forties…and…what was the next one? "Very?" she tried, frustrated when Alice wanted more than that. They went up in tens, so… "Eight tens."

_"You're __**eighty**__ years old?"_ Alice shrieked, making everyone in the room jump and look over in surprise.

The number didn't exactly sound familiar, but it didn't sound unfamiliar either. "Eighty? Yes. Much old."

"Hold on," her letter was long forgotten now as Alice turned in her chair to fully face the vampire standing before her. She could see in her peripherals that the others seemed interested in what was happening now, curious to find out more about this quiet girl. "You are eighty _years_ old. Older than Carlisle."

"Older than his parents." Esme said with wide eyes.

Alice couldn't resist this time, reaching out to run her fingers along the skin of Bella's forearm. Smooth, pale, and warmer than normal. Normal? Was she normal compared to Bella? Was this girl, this vampire, even more different than the rest of them, even less human? Of course she was, Carlisle had implied so.

Still, she'd never really thought about it. Alice was so focused on her own…issues and differences, she never considered the others'. Bella's.

An anomaly amongst the unusual. Different from the difference that united them.

Was it harder for her?

"Bellah doesn't age," Emmett finally piped up, getting to his feet. Alice was touching Bella again, after he _specifically_ sought her and Ren out, _specifically_ telling them to **not touch the vampire**.

Rosalie's violet eyes lit up, her mind flashing back to Bernard, the old butler. How weak and sick he became in his old age. How more and more of that kind light in his eyes left each day. "Must be nice."

"Until everyone else you know is dying off around you," Jasper murmured, shaking his head. "You had to have aged for a little while at least. 'Bout twenty years, if I had to guess, otherwise you'd still be a babe."

The older twin bounced on the couch, excitement colouring her eyes. "Do all vampires stop aging at twenty? Do you get to choose when?"

"Choose? I don't…" Bella shook her head as she looked from each face. "No _comprendere_."

Alice gently squeezed Bella's hand in her own until those golden eyes landed back on her. "If vampires don't age, never get old, how did you grow up?" She asked.

"I..." The brunette looked around, chewing on her lip. "I was human. Normal much years ago."

Everyone looked around at each other as Bella's words sunk in. She used to be human, once upon a time, normal like everyone else, with a regular life. She wasn't born like this, something happened, something changed her. Jasper couldn't decide if he felt sorry for her, or if he was jealous of her. She knew what it was like to be normal and happy. She could look back on her human years fondly when things got really weird for her. On the other hand, were they blessed because they couldn't miss what they never had or knew? Was it painful for Bella to know, to think she'd lost her humanity?

Green and brown eyes blinked at the vampire, wonder painted on her face. "What happened? How did you become a vampire?"

"No," the vampire murmured. A shadow fell across her face, golden eyes losing their focus. Images blurred in her vision, old memories washing up again, threatening to pull her back. She was drowning in an endless scream and her own blood. "No. No, no."

Shivering, Alice edged away from Bella. She watched with fascination, like all the other times, as the whites of the vampire's eyes darkened, veins spreading out and framing them. "Bella?"

Emmett bustled over, angling his back to everyone else until Bella was cut off from their sight. Sheilding her as his protectiveness swelled up. "What is this, twenty questions? Everybody leave her alone."

On the couch across the room, Jasper and Ren both turned back around and returned to their show. They exchanged silent looks. Rosalie went back to browsing the internet with a shrug of her shoulders while Edward and Esme got back to their conversation.

With a firm nod, Emmett looked back down at his friend. "You okay, Bella?"

"Fine," she replied quickly, blinking away the traces of her memories.

He hesitated a moment, staring down at her until she finally smiled softly back at him, and then wandered off to his video game once again. The brunette's gaze fell down to her lap and the large buckles pinning her wrists to the ugly brown belt. She pulled gently on them, feeling the pressure against her waist before relaxing.

The pixie sitting with her leaned forward until she caught Bella's eyes. "Bella, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jump down your throat about your age like that. I was just surprised."

"I died," she whispered suddenly, quietly. So quietly, in fact, that Alice wasn't positive that she'd heard correctly. Bella took a shuddering breath, letting it whoosh out with a slump of her shoulders. She had a sad little smile on her face and haunted eyes that made Alice's chest feel tight. "Is how I...changed. Someone killed me."

Alice blanked, blue eyes wide like a deer caught in the headlights. What do you say to that? She was – she was killed? Someone murdered her? "Bella-"

"I go now," she began nervously, jerking up to her feet. "Homework. Math. I go."

"Bella, wait-"

She shook her head, unable to meet Alice's eyes. "No, I – I go."

**.**

**.**

**.**

Three pairs of eyes watched Edward patiently while he tried to focus on the thoughts he heard around him and not their intense gaze. He shifted uncomfortably, hands so deep in his pockets he might as well have been holding his knees. This was...weird. Different. He'd never actively listened in to people for recreational purposes. It was either training when Carlisle asked him to or trying desperately to ignore them. And now he was just innocently listening for...for his friends? Were they his friends now?

Alice and Ren took up one of the free benches in the mall outside the movie theatre, waiting for feedback on the movies playing. Jasper was leaning against an old, broken down vending machine, staring at his shoes. After years of practice, he went unnoticed by the other occupants of the mall. Well, not _completely_ unnoticed anymore. The others knew he was there with them, conscious of his existence. Thinking of him. It was new, an odd thought, that there were other people out there who knew him, thought of him...cared for him? Maybe? He liked it though, it was nice.

"_This is awesome_!" Both the girls chimed in unison, Ren's face red from all her laughing. She struggled to pull in more air. _"I would do this to everyone all the time!_" They said, Alice unable to contain her smile, slowly turning into a grin. Ren tucked a long lock of bronze hair behind her ear. _"Best game ever! Purple dancing ant-eaters sleeping in a bunk bed!"_

Even Jasper was having a hard time keeping a straight face. When they first got there, standing awkwardly away from all the other people waiting in line for the movies, Ren went to say something offhandedly. Alice said the exact same thing at the exact same time. They thought it was a fluke at first, until she did it again, when Ren went to ask which movie they were seeing. And she kept doing it until the uncomfortable atmosphere of being seperate from normal people dispersed. Ren had turned it into a little game, thinking of the most ridiculous things to say.

Finally Edward returned to the other three, sitting down on the bench next to Alice. He shook his head at their silly antics. "Jasper, your choice was a big let down to a lot of people. They were disappointed with the climax. No one could keep up with all the plot twists in yours, Alice, and one of the actors was _really_ bad. People seemed to enjoy yours though, Ren. I think we should watch it."

Punching her fist into the air, Ren jumped up from the bench. "Booya! Minions here we come!" She merrily skipped up to the ticket booth, purchasing hers before rushing towards the concession stand. The kids were all procured just about anything they asked for, and give an deposit (or allowance as Esme liked to call it) supplied by Volturi Inc. Something about being denied the option of getting a job and earning finances, so they were supplied compensation. Ren didn't really pay attention when Carlisle was explaining it. She had money, what did it matter the reason?

She excitedly pointed at a bag of fuzzy peaches beneath the display glass, sleeve cuffs hanging down at her knuckles, nails painted and chipped, rings clinking together on her fingers. "Two bags, please, and a box of Junior mints." She jumped at the deep and rough voice of Jasper, looking up to see him standing right next to her. Ren felt her cheeks flush with the rush of blood, her heart skipping a beat. "You wanna share a popcorn?"

The smaller girl nodded emphatically, tucking a lock of her bronze mane behind her ear. "Yeah, definitely! I mean, if you want. Sure. I don't care. I can never finish the bag by myself anyways." _Stupid, stupid, stupid Ren._

"Thanks," he grinned, sharp features brightening. She continued to watch him and his smile slowly dimmed, hands sliding into his pockets while his shoulders slumped. She watched him a lot, he noticed. People generally did, once they noticed the scars. Did she think they were weird? As an artist and as an...admirer of the odd and unusual perspective, was his marred face beautiful to her? Or was he ugly to her too?

Alice watched the exchange between the two curiously from her own line. She absently thanked the boy while she grabbed her drink and popcorn, walking with Edward towards the doors of their theatre. They waited for the other two outside the doors, juggling their snacks and drinks while struggling to think of what to say. Well, Edward was, Alice was mostly occupied with wondering what Bella was doing back at the mansion. She wasn't sure if the vampire didn't _want_ to go out in public or if she wasn't allowed, but she didn't go with them, and Emmett didn't want to leave her alone. Rosalie decided to hang back as well, mostly for Emmett's sake, saying she owed him a game on the xbox and it was best she beat him while no one was home so he wouldn't be humiliated.

"So..." Edward began hesitantly. "I, uh, I heard you're from Mississippi. I was having the hardest time pinpointing your accent before."

Blue eyes narrowed suspisciously and Alice took a step back. "How do you know where I'm from? Who told you? That's...that's private, Edward."

He stepped back, shaking his head, bronze locks bouncing. "No, I...I didn't mean to. I just heard it from Carlisle the other day and I was trying to make conversation. I didn't mean to invade your privacy. I – I'm sorry, Alice."

"He told you?" she snapped. How dare he just give out private information like that! He was a doctor, wasn't there some kind of patient confidentiality or something? Was she a patient? Either way, it was completely unprofessional, and Alice was going to give him an earful when they got back to the mansion.

Edward listened to her ranting, shaking his head all the while. "No, Alice, he didn't tell me. Doctor Carlisle is _very_ professional, but he was going over your information and I heard it. In-in his head. And I didn't mean to, I wasn't listening in or anything, I wouldn't do that, I assure you, but I just heard it. That happens a lot and people get mad, like you have, and now I can't stop talking but I'm still sorry for making you uncomfortable. I know you try very hard to keep your life secret from us all, and me knowing something personal about you without your permission is frightening you." His emerald eyes widened with realization. "Oh god, and I'm sorry I know all that too! I-I will...just be over here waiting for those guys... I'm sorry."

The little pixie watched, mind reeling, as Edward walked over to the other side of the doors, staring at his feet. His jaw was clenched, eyes squeezed shut in frustration, and she felt herself relax a little bit. Guilt start to well up in her chest. She understood what it was like having an inconvenient ability you could never shut off, constantly getting you into trouble. Despite the length of time they'd been at the mansion, working with Carlisle and Esme, they were still all pretty new to this. No one had full control over their ability, and she could see how Edward would struggle with his gift more than others. Well, except perhaps Jasper. They both had a...continuous ability, one that never stopped and never needed to be activated. She was lucky that, at least, hers only ever got out of control while she slept. And Ren, while often accidentally or unknowingly seeped into your head, would stop herself right away. And Rosalie could as well, as long as she always kept in mind and was conscious of what she was saying. Everyone learned the hard way not to bug her, having witnessed on one occassion her telling Emmett to get lost. They spent the entire night searching the woods, looking for him, and then only Bella was able to find him.

She sighed. "Edward, come back here. It's okay. I know you didn't purposefully pry into my life. Just next time try to, I don't know, forget any information you accidentally learn about me, okay?"

The boy nodded furiously. "Of course, yes, of course. I will. And I will try harder not to listen to Carlisle." He paused. "In his head, I mean. And-and not just Carlisle. Anyone who may know personal things about you. Including you."

Still blushing from her encounter with Jasper, Ren bounced up to Alice's side. "Hey guys, what's up? Movie starting yet? We should go get seats before it fills up, don't wanna be stuck at the bottom. I like the edge, too. In case I have to use the washroom during the movie, sometimes I just can't sit still. Do...you like the edge, Jasper? Because I also don't mind giving it up, if you prefer it. Or you too, Alice, of course! Anyone really. How about-"

"Okay!" Alice cut off, giving the girl a look. Goodness. They certainly were twins. Rambler twins. "Yeesh, let's just sit down already." She could only listen to so many words in a period of time.

As they found their seats in the middle of the theatre, Ren on the edge and Jasper on her other side, Alice found herself thinking of the Italian vampire back at the mansion again. She bet Bella didn't ramble like that, and if she did, at least it was in that smooth Italian accent.

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"No," Esme shook her head, glancing over Carlisle's shoulder at the man standing in front of all the kids in the basement. His hulking frame was impressive, even next to Emmett who everyone dubbed the 'friendly giant'. There was something unsettling about this man, his dark eyes holding a danger in them that apparently only Esme could see. Even his smile was...mocking. She shook her head again, squeezing Carlisle's hand. "No, I don't like this. Send him away."

The doctor sighed, giving his wife a reassuring smile. "Esme, I can't just send him away. Aro himself sent Felix up to us, to our house specifically, to work with the kids. Besides, what's the harm in a little self defence training? This can only benefit the children."

"Are you listening to yourself?" Esme said in a harsh whisper. She smiled feebly as Bella glanced over curiously, giving the vampire a little wave. "Why do the kids need to learn self defence? He's teaching them how to _fight_. Like...like they're weapons or something. We're here to help them learn about their gifts, to control them so they might live less complicated, and normal lives. Not turn them into little G. with superpowers."

Shaking his head, Carlisle gave a little chuckle. "Esme, we're not turning them into...little soldiers? It's just a few simple self defence classes a couple times a week. It's good physical activity, and very practical. In a situation with other humans present, they can defend themselves without revealing their true nature. Now, let's give them some privacy-" he held up his hands at her glare. "_Or_ you can stay and keep an eye on things. I'm going to finish my report up in my office. Try to relax though, honey, you're going to worry the kids."

Felix stood in the middle of the room, his dark eyes sweeping across the other people with him. The kids were stretching, warming up and getting ready for their first lesson while the doctors quite obviously argued in the corner of the room. His gaze landed on the pale girl standing next to the group, regarding him with curious golden eyes. The vampire. "What have they got you hooked up in, my dear?" He asked aloud, walking towards her and reaching for the belt.

A large shadow fell over him, the boy's muscular frame stepping into his way. "It is for everyone's safety."

"Well how is she supposed to train with her hands strapped to her belt?" He gave the boy an easy smile, charming, with a pat on the shoulder. "She's not some animal, you know." Those golden eyes landed back on him when he sidestepped the body guard. He offered her a reassuring smile, unbuckling her wrists. "How's that feel, my dear?"

At the other end of the group, Alice shuffled around. She wrung her hands with a frown on her face.

The vampire eyed him, stepping over towards Rosalie. "Is fine," she murmured quietly.

He nodded with another smile and walked back to the front of the room, rubbing his hands together. "Alright, guys. Since this is the very first class, how about we start off easy. I want you to pair up, and one person in the pair will wear these pad-gloves. Throwing a punch is pretty basic and it may seem simple enough, but knowing how to follow through and turn it into one smooth motion will help you tremendously. So everyone find a partner...huh, you've got an odd number. Isabella, why don't you come over here, I'll be your partner for the day."

Both Emmett and Alice looked up with wide eyes. The pixie bit her lip, looking over to Bella, and was thankful when Emmett barged forward with a scowl on his face. "No, I will be your partner today. An equal match and all that, _scamone_."

Jasper nudged Ren with a raised eyebrow and she nodded, grabbing a pair of the pad-gloves, while Edward struggled to slip his on and approached Alice. The short girl sighed, looking over to Bella who was giving Rosalie a puppy dog look. Porbably unintentionally (she did that quite a bit) and that just made it cuter. Alice sighed deeper, turning back to Edward with a forced smile.

The brunette pulled on her gloves, stepping up to Rose with a half smile. She tilted her head to the side, holding her gloved hands up. "Partners, _Roz'lie_?"

"If I _must_ punch, then I guess so," Rose nodded. Her violet eyes flickered around the room, landing on each pair of partners in the basement with her. Emmett's large fists shot out, smacking against the pad gloves of Felix. The man staggered back slightly, shaking his head with a smirk and braced himself. Edward braced himself up, a grimace on his face while he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for Alice to throw a punch. The pixie was rolling her eyes and gave him the smallest of taps with her knuckles. The only people who seemed to be doing what they were supposed to, and having fun, were Jasper and Ren. He bounced on his feet with a small smile on his face, gloved hands held up and moving around. Ren chewed on her lip while trying to punch the pads, laughing and holding her face in her hands every time she missed.

Those violet eyes returned to Bella who was standing before her, looking around at the others too. Rosalie took a deep breath, raising her hands up, focusing on trying not to look like such a weiner like Edward. The boy looked up at her suddenly, giving an offended huff. She smirked, throwing out her fist and gave a surprised gasp when it connected with a padded glove. That was...that was kind of fun.

She tossed a couple more out, noticing that her aim seemed to be off, but her knuckles met padding each and every time. Bella's reflexes were...extraordinary. The blonde rolled her shoulders and scrunched up the sleeves of her sweatshirt, a tiny little competitive smirk forming on her lips.

This...she could get into this.

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**Been a while, guys. Sorry for that. I've been busy with work and other things, stories mostly and a couple video games. I've gotten back around the the writing thing, though. Just updated Nite Tide the other day, and now this one. I'm gonna finish off Magick soon too, so there's that. I've also decided to revamp Reflection, for those of you who were fans. My style has changed so much since I started that story, I don't think I could continue it the way it was. It's better now though, I think at least, so that's some good news. I'll probably do that with other older stories too.**

**Aaaanyways, I hope you liked this update. Some more character and relationship development. Let me know what you think in a review.**

**-Paige.**


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